put out

[ poot out ]

verb phrase

1. to extinguish, as a fire:

   Don't forget to put the candle out before you go to bed.

2. to confuse; embarrass:

   It put her out badly when she went to pay and realized her wallet was still at home.

3. to vex or annoy:

   He was put out when I missed our appointment.

4. to subject to inconvenience:

   I don't want to put you out, so I'll wait until after dinner to stop by.

5. Baseball, Softball, Cricket. to cause to be removed from an opportunity to reach base or score; retire:

   Ramirez was put out at third for the second out of the inning.

6. to publish:

   She puts out a new mystery every other year.

7. to go out to sea:

   The fishermen put out well before sunrise.

8. to manufacture; prepare; produce:

   The factory puts out thousands of candy bars an hour.

9. to exert; apply:

   They were putting out their best efforts.

10. Slang: Offensive. (usually of a woman) to demonstrate willingness or offer to engage in sexual intercourse.

put out

verb

1. often passive
   1. to annoy; anger
   2. to confound or disturb; confuse
2. to extinguish or douse (a fire, light, etc)

   he put out the fire

3. to poke forward

   to put out one's tongue

4. to be or present a source of inconvenience or annoyance to (a person)

   I hope I'm not putting you out

5. to issue or publish; broadcast

   the authorities put out a leaflet

6. to render unconscious
7. to dislocate

   he put out his shoulder in the accident

8. to show or exert

   the workers put out all their energy in the campaign

9. to pass, give out (work to be done) at different premises
10. to lend (money) at interest
11. cricket to dismiss (a player or team)
12. baseball to cause (a batter or runner) to be out by a fielding play

noun

1. baseball a play in which the batter or runner is put out

Word History and Origins

Origin of put out¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; 1730–40 put out fordef 5; 1925–30 put out fordef 10

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. put oneself out, to take pains; go to trouble or expense:

   She has certainly put herself out to see that everyone is comfortable.

2. put someone out of their misery,
   1. to euthanize:

      We had to put the dog out of his misery, and everyone is still upset.

   2. to end a period of waiting, suspense, or the like:

      After she agonized for days about whether she'd be laid off, upper management finally put her out of her misery and sent her home.

Example Sentences

Martinez, whose nonprofit We Are Not Invisible raises funds for homeless needs, put out a late-night plea on Facebook as the temperature dropped below 50.

From Los Angeles Times

News outlets have since put out reports on the attack, mostly angling on statements from the police and Xi Jinping.

From BBC

Magnesium-based fires are hard to put out, especially on board a plane.

From BBC

He also warned people thinking of having their own bonfires not too have them too close to their or anyone else's home, or they would face having them put out by fire crews.

From BBC

"My opponent has also put out a plan in every single expert that has looked at it, every single one who has looked at it knows that it would kill Medicare and Social Security."

From Salon

Related Words

• douse
• snuff out