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. 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

/ ˈpʊtə /

noun

1. a person who puts

   the putter of a question

2. a person who puts the shot

putter

²

/ ˈpʌtə /

noun

1. a club for putting, usually having a solid metal head
2. a golfer who putts

putter

³

/ 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. trusually foll byaway to waste (time)

noun

1. the act of puttering

Other Words From

• putter·er noun
• putter·ing·ly 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

I love a Sunday night putter: cleaning out a drawer in my bathroom or giving myself a manicure, because I never go and get them.

From Los Angeles Times

After holing the putt, the 22-year-old laid down his putter next to the pin to illustrate just how close he was.

From BBC

After watching the Los Angeles Open inspiration struck and he sketched the initial design for a new putter on the first thing he could find, the dust jacket of an old vinyl record.

From BBC

He focused on altering the conventional starting point, which has shot putters standing at the back of the ring, facing away from the field.

From Los Angeles Times

Chips from tight links turf required absolute precision, often putters were the correct option.

From BBC

Related Words

• loiter