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.
That scrapbook shouldn't be put away on a shelf to gather dust just yet, then.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
It was early in the third period of the Olympic men’s hockey final on Sunday, and Canada finally had a chance to put away Team USA.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 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
Australian international Ellie Carpenter gave Chelsea the lead after 16 minutes when she hammered home from the edge of area after being put away by Aggie Beever-Jones near halfway.
From Barron's • 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
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.