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• put-up
  put-up

  adjective

  planned beforehand in a secret or crafty manner.
• put up
  put up

  verb

  to build; erect

put-up

American  

[poot-uhp] / ˈpʊtˌʌp /

adjective

Informal.

1. planned beforehand in a secret or crafty manner.

   a put-up job.

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put up British  

verb

1. to build; erect

   to put up a statue

2. to accommodate or be accommodated at

   can you put me up for tonight?

3. to increase (prices)

4. to submit or present (a plan, case, etc)

5. to offer

   to put a house up for sale

6. to provide or supply; give

   to put up a good fight

7. to provide (money) for; invest in

   they put up five thousand for the new project

8. to preserve or can (jam, etc)

9. to pile up (long hair) on the head in any of several styles

10. (also intr) to nominate or be nominated as a candidate, esp for a political or society post

    he put his wife up as secretary

    he put up for president

11. archaic to return (a weapon) to its holder, as a sword to its sheath

    put up your pistol!

12. 1. to inform or instruct (a person) about (tasks, duties, etc)

    2. to urge or goad (a person) on to; incite to

13. informal to endure; tolerate

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adjective

1. dishonestly or craftily prearranged or conceived (esp in the phrase put-up job )

put up Idioms  

1. Erect, build; also, lift to a higher position. For example, They put up three new houses on our street , or She looks more grownup when she puts up her hair in a bun . [c. 1600]

2. Preserve, can, as in She put up countless jars of jam . [Early 1800s]

3. Nominate, as in Tom put up Peter for president . [Late 1500s]

4. Provide funds, especially in advance, as in They put up nearly a million for the new museum .

5. put someone up . Provide lodgings for, as in We can put you up for the night . [Mid-1700s]

6. Startle game from cover, as in The hunter put up three grouse . [Late 1400s]

7. Offer for sale, as in They had to put up their last antiques . [Early 1700s]

8. Make a display or appearance of, as in They were actually broke but put up a good front . [First half of 1800s]

9. Do well in a contest, as in They put up a good fight . [Late 1800s]

10. Stake money for a bet, as in Each player put up ten dollars . [Mid-1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of put-up

First recorded in 1800–10; adj. use of verb phrase put up

Example Sentences

A good way to protect them is fairly basic: Put up protective cages.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

"Put up a cordon, make sure the device is soaked in water, so it can't deteriorate any further, make sure we inform the authorities – and then they take it from there."

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2025

Put up a sign with the Wi-Fi password, leave out a stash of charging cables and add guest profiles for streaming services on your TV.

From New York Times • Dec. 24, 2022

Put up something that points closer to the full story.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2022

The constable paused to light a cigar, and went on cheerfully: “What you got planned for that piece of Foster land? Going to clear her? Put up a house, or a store, maybe?”

From "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbit

Related Words

• provide
• take in