Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To store something in its proper place: To place an item where it is kept when not in use, often to tidy up.
   • To save or set aside for future use: To reserve money or resources.
   • To consume (food or drink) in large quantities: To eat or drink a lot.
   • To confine or imprison someone: To send someone to a prison or similar institution.
   • To kill an animal humanely (euphemism): To end the life of a sick or old animal to prevent suffering.
   • To discard or reject an idea or feeling: To stop thinking about or holding onto something.

Usage Examples

• Storing an item:
  • Please put away your books after class.
  • She put away the groceries in the kitchen cabinets.
• Saving for the future:
  • He puts away a portion of his salary every month.
• Consuming food/drink:
  • He can put away an entire cake by himself.
• Imprisoning someone:
  • The judge put him away for ten years.
• Euthanizing an animal:
  • The vet had to put away our old dog.
• Discarding an idea/feeling:
  • It's time to put away those childish fantasies.

Advanced Usage

• "Put away childish things": To stop behaving in an immature or naive manner.
  • When he started his career, he knew he had to put away childish things.
• "Put (someone) away for life": To sentence someone to life imprisonment.
  • The criminal was put away for life.

Variants and Related Words

• Put aside (phrasal verb): Similar to 'put away' for saving money or temporarily ignoring something.
  • Let's put aside our differences.
• Stow away (phrasal verb): To store or hide something compactly.
  • He stowed away his luggage under the seat.

Synonyms

• Store: To keep or accumulate for future use.
• Save: To keep money or resources for later.
• Consume: To eat or drink.
• Imprison: To confine legally.
• Euthanize: To kill painlessly.
• Discard: To get rid of something no longer useful.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Put aside: To save money or to temporarily ignore an issue.
  • She puts aside $100 every week.
• Put by: Similar to 'put aside,' meaning to save for the future.
  • They have a little money put by for emergencies.

Related Idioms

• Put it away!: An informal command to stop a foolish behavior or to eat/drink less.
  • You've had enough beer; put it away!
• Put away for a rainy day: To save money for future needs or emergencies.
  • My grandparents always taught me to put something away for a rainy day.

Verb

1. turn away from and put aside, perhaps temporarily
   • it's time for you to put away childish things
2. eat up; usually refers to a considerable quantity of food
   • My son tucked in a whole pizza
3. kill gently, as with an injection
   • the cat was very ill and we had to put it to sleep
4. stop using
   • the children were told to put away their toys
   • the students put away their notebooks
5. lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
   • The suspects were imprisoned without trial
   • the murderer was incarcerated for the rest of his life
6. throw or cast away
   • Put away your worries
7. place in a place where something cannot be removed or someone cannot escape
   • The parents locked her daughter up for the weekend
   • She locked her jewels in the safe