put away

British  

verb

1. to return (something) to the correct or proper place

   he put away his books

2. to save

   to put away money for the future

3. to lock up in a prison, mental institution, etc

   they put him away for twenty years

4. to eat or drink, esp in large amounts

5. to put to death, because of old age or illness

   the dog had to be put away

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put away Idioms  

1. Place in a designated spot for storage; also, place out of reach. For example, Please put away your clothes , or This young tennis player can really put away the ball . Also see set aside , def. 1.

2. Renounce, discard, as in Put away all those negative thoughts . [Late 1300s]

3. Consume quickly, ingest readily, as in He put away his dinner in just a few minutes . [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]

4. Confine to a mental health facility, as in The doctor said we had to put her away . [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]

5. Kill, as in The vet put our old cat away . [ Colloquial ; late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

It was bad enough that Newcastle conceded an opener from a corner kick or that Nick Pope spilled Dwight McNeil's swerving shot to enable Beto to put away the rebound for Everton's second.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

This year, individuals can put away up to $24,500, versus a maximum of $7,500 in the Roth IRAs most state plans use.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

But generally, they still operate with fewer defenses than professional journalists, and might, due to uncertainty over repercussions, put away their camera or delete their footage when confronted by an armed officer.

From Salon • Jan. 17, 2026

Don’t put away those umbrellas just yet: Even more rain is expected to hit Los Angeles on Thursday, continuing what’s been an unusually early and wet start to the rainy season.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025

Because I’ve crossed the room to wipe my face and put away the teapot.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Related Words

• polish off
• put down