put to bed

Idioms  

1. Complete something and either set it aside or send it on to the next step, as in We put the magazine to bed at ten, or They said they'd put the whole project to bed at least a month ago. This expression, transferring nighttime retirement to other kinds of completion, was first applied to a newspaper, where it meant “send to press,” that is, start to print. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

put to bed

That effort has effectively been put to bed, as Menendez concluded that Congress never intended to allow the AG to access voter records and papers that state election officials create.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

As earnings season gets under way, festering worries about artificial-intelligence stocks could be put to bed.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

The decrease is unlikely to put to bed the row over the steep pricing that also drew rebukes from football's governing body, FIFA.

From Barron's ● May 7, 2026

The girl, identified as Sharon by authorities, was last seen on Saturday when she was put to bed in her family home at an Aboriginal town camp in Alice Springs just before midnight.

From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2026

In the meantime, three tired children had to be put to bed, which meant it was time for their governess to read aloud.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• accomplish
• achieve
• close
• conclude
• determine
• develop
• do
• end
• execute
• finalize
• finish
• halt
• perform
• realize
• settle
• wrap up