putty
1a compound of whiting and linseed oil, of a doughlike consistency when fresh, used to secure windowpanes, patch woodwork defects, etc.
any of various other compounds used for similar purposes.
any of various substances for sealing the joints of tubes or pipes, composed of linseed oil with red lead, white lead, iron oxide, etc.
a creamy mixture of lime and water, partially dried and mixed with sand and plaster of Paris to make a finish plaster coat.
any person or thing easily molded, influenced, etc.: We were putty in his hands.
light brownish- or yellowish-gray.
to secure, cover, etc., with putty.
Idioms about putty
up to putty, Australian Slang. worthless or useless.
Origin of putty
1Other words from putty
- un·put·tied, adjective
Words Nearby putty
Other definitions for putty (2 of 2)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use putty in a sentence
Small amounts of cracking can be ignored and add to the charm of the piece—these can often be filled in with wood putty.
You can use it to make silly putty with dish soap and water, for example.
5 ways cornstarch can change your life, in and out of the kitchen | Maggie Galloway | January 28, 2022 | Popular-ScienceSand the entire table, making sure every surface is smooth and removing any debris from the wood putty.
Clean up your messy entryway with a DIY shoe rack | Jose Mendoza | January 14, 2022 | Popular-ScienceParks and Recreation gave us Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson, a rugged libertarian who holds zero problematic views and is putty in the hands of strong women.
David wants to win the family over, and everybody, except Anna, is putty in his hands.
Dan Stevens Blows Up ‘Downton’: From Chubby-Cheeked Aristo to Lean, Mean American Psycho | Tim Teeman | September 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
When asked whether he was sexy she replies, "Everyone is putty around him… Look at him."
Now he can just charge out there and do more of this, and in no time the nation will be putty in our hands!
Michael Tomasky on the GOP’s Self-Delusion Syndrome | Michael Tomasky | September 27, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTWe must ruthlessly accommodate ourselves to a world that has shown, once again, that it is not putty in our hands.
There was no vivacity in his putty-coloured features, but there were promptitude and decision in every abrupt gesture.
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le Fanuputty-colored or "acholic" stools occur when bile is deficient, either from obstruction to outflow or from deficient secretion.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell ToddWhite lime putty is next filled into the groove, being pressed on with a jointing tool, leaving a white joint ⅛ to in.
Gauged work has very thin joints, as shown at H, formed by dipping the side of the brick in white lime putty.
Gauged brickwork is set in lime putty instead of common mortar; the finished joints should not be more than 1/32 in.
British Dictionary definitions for putty
/ (ˈpʌtɪ) /
a stiff paste made of whiting and linseed oil that is used to fix glass panes into frames and to fill cracks or holes in woodwork, etc
any substance with a similar consistency, function, or appearance
a mixture of lime and water with sand or plaster of Paris used on plaster as a finishing coat
(as modifier): a putty knife
See putty powder
a person who is easily influenced or persuaded: he's putty in her hands
a colour varying from a greyish-yellow to a greyish-brown or brownish-grey
(as adjective): putty-coloured
up to putty Australian informal worthless or useless
(tr) to fix, fill, or coat with putty
Origin of putty
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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