put-down

or put·down

[ poot-doun ]

/ ˈpʊtˌdaʊn /

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See synonyms for put-down on Thesaurus.com

noun

a landing of an aircraft.

Informal.

a disparaging, belittling, or snubbing remark.
a remark or act intended to humiliate or embarrass someone.

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Origin of put-down

First recorded in 1960–65; noun use of verb phrase put down

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use put-down in a sentence

To put it rather uncharitably, the USPHS practiced a major dental experiment on a city full of unconsenting subjects.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Clad in a blue, striped button-down, a silver watch adorning his left wrist, Huckabee beams on the cover.
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That article noted that the F-35 does not currently have the ability to down-link live video to ground troops,.
Pentagon Misfires in Stealth Jet Scandal|Dave Majumdar|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A grand juror in the Ferguson case is suing to be able to explain exactly what went down in the courtroom.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead|Luke O’Neil|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Kennedy: "Mankind must put an end to war — or war will put an end to mankind."
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He was voluble in his declarations that they would “put the screws” to Ollie on the charge of perjury.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
The bride elect rushes up to him, and so they both step down to the foot-lights.
Physiology of The Opera|John H. Swaby (AKA "Scrici")
Each day she resolved, "To-morrow I will tell Felipe;" and when to-morrow came, she put it off again.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
This is the place where the Muscovite criminals are banished to, if they are not put to death.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
I take the Extream Bells, and set down the six Changes on them thus.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing|Richard Duckworth and Fabian Stedman

British Dictionary definitions for put-down

put down

verb (tr, adverb)

to make a written record of

to repressto put down a rebellion

to consider; accountthey put him down for an ignoramus

to attributeI put the mistake down to his inexperience

to put to death, because of old age or illnessthe vet put the cat down

to table on the agendathe MPs put down a motion on the increase in crime

to put (a baby) to bed

to dismiss, reject, or humiliate

noun put-down

a cruelly crushing remark

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with put-down

put down

Write down; also, enter in a list. For example, Please put down my name for a free ticket, or Put me down as a subscriber. [Second half of 1500s]

Bring to an end, repress, as in They managed to put down the rebellion in a single day, or We've got to put down these rumors about a takeover. [c. 1300]

Kill a sick animal, as in The vet said the dog must be put down. [Mid-1500s] Also see put away, def. 5.

Belittle, disparage, criticize, as in Her husband was always putting her down. [c. 1400] Also see run down, def. 6.

Ascribe, attribute, as in We put her poor performance down to stage fright. [Late 1700s]

Regard, classify, as in We put her down as a hypochondriac. [Mid-1800s]

Pay a deposit, as in We put down $2,000 for the car.

Store for future use, as in David put down ten cases of this year's Chablis. [Mid-1800s]

Land in an aircraft; also, land an aircraft, as in What time will we put down at Heathrow? or She put the plane down exactly on the runway. [c. 1930]

Put a child to bed, as in The sitter said she'd put Brian down at 8:30. [Second half of 1900s]