put away
Britishverb
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to return (something) to the correct or proper place
he put away his books
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to save
to put away money for the future
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to lock up in a prison, mental institution, etc
they put him away for twenty years
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to eat or drink, esp in large amounts
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to put to death, because of old age or illness
the dog had to be put away
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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.
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Renounce, discard, as in Put away all those negative thoughts . [Late 1300s]
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Consume quickly, ingest readily, as in He put away his dinner in just a few minutes . [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]
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Confine to a mental health facility, as in The doctor said we had to put her away . [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]
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Kill, as in The vet put our old cat away . [ Colloquial ; late 1500s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With a cross-court forehand from Gauff threatening to fizz straight past her, the Czech player stretched out, leapt into the air and put away the volley winner before falling face down on the grass.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Here and there, stewards asked some fans to put away the banners or face expulsion, but hundreds remained on display during the game inside the 70,000-seat stadium.
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
If you save aggressively, meaning you put away 20% of your gross pay, that would put your annual contribution at $21,870.
From MarketWatch ● May 29, 2026
Sure, it’s easier to load and unload the dishwasher and put away the laundry yourself, but we miss the opportunity if we don’t bring the next generation into the labor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
After the dishes were washed and put away, Pa and I sat on the porch in silence, until Aunt Pretty bustled out to join us.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
