putter

¹

[puht-er]

verb (used without object)

1. to busy or occupy oneself in a leisurely, casual, or ineffective manner.

   to putter in the garden.

2. to move or go in a specified manner with ineffective action or little energy or purpose.

   to putter about the house on a rainy day.

3. to move or go slowly or aimlessly; loiter.

noun

1. puttering or ineffective action; dawdling.

verb phrase

1. putter away,  to spend or fill in a random, inconsequential, or unproductive way; fritter away; waste.

   We puttered the morning away.

putter

²

[puht-er]

noun

Golf.

1. a person who putts.

2. a club with a relatively short, stiff shaft and a wooden or iron head, used in putting.

putter

³

[poot-er]

noun

1. a person or thing that puts.

2. Track.,  a shot-putter.

putter

¹

/ ˈpʌtə /

verb

1. (intr;often foll by about or around) to busy oneself in a desultory though agreeable manner

2. (intr;often foll by along or about) to move with little energy or direction

   to putter about town

3. to waste (time)

noun

1. the act of puttering

putter

²

/ ˈpʌtə /

noun

1. a club for putting, usually having a solid metal head

2. a golfer who putts

putter

³

/ ˈpʊtə /

noun

1. a person who puts

   the putter of a question

2. a person who puts the shot

Other Word Forms

• putterer noun
• putteringly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of putter¹

First recorded in 1825–30; variant of potter ²

Origin of putter²

First recorded in 1740–50; putt + -er ¹

Origin of putter³

First recorded in 1570–90; put + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of putter¹

C16 (in the sense: to poke repeatedly): from Old English potian to thrust; see _put

Example Sentences

Shahed drones have been dubbed "flying mopeds" by Ukrainians because of their puttering engines.

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They also proved he was among the worst with the putter.

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They also proved he was among the worst with a putter in hand.

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In the past two majors there have been foul-mouthed, club-throwing outbursts from several players - including the usually mild-mannered world number one Scheffler, who tossed his putter on the 15th green after a missed putt.

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"Easy solution is just limit the maximum length of the putter and be done with it," said one official.

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Related Words

• loiter