put on
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To place or apply something onto a surface or one's body: The core meaning involves adding something to an exterior, such as clothing, makeup, or an object onto another surface.
- To present or stage a performance, display, or pretense: This refers to organizing and presenting something like a play, concert, or a false appearance or manner.
- To cause an increase or addition: To add to something existing, such as weight, miles, or a structure.
Usage and Examples
- Applying to a surface or body:
- She applied paint to the back of the house. (She put paint on the back of the house.)
- What should I wear today? He put on his best suit for the wedding.
- Staging or presenting:
- They turned in a splendid effort. They turned in top jobs for the second straight game. (They put on a splendid performance.)
- mount a theater production; mount a play (to put on a play)
- Assuming a false appearance:
- a put-on childish voice; sham modesty (to put on a childish voice; to put on modesty)
- Causing an increase or addition:
- She gained 20 pounds when she stopped exercising. (She put on 20 pounds.)
- He put on 1,000 miles on this trip.
- She put on a sun room. (She added a sunroom to the house.)
Advanced Usage
- "put on airs": To behave in a way that is intended to impress others by appearing more important, sophisticated, etc., than one actually is.
- Ever since she got that promotion, she's been putting on airs.
- "put on a brave face": To pretend to be brave or cheerful when one is actually afraid or unhappy.
- Despite the bad news, he put on a brave face for his family.
Variants and Related Words
- Put-on (noun/adjective): Something false or deceptive; a hoax. As an adjective, describing something adopted to deceive.
- His accent was a complete put-on. (noun)
- an assumed cheerfulness; a put-on childish voice (adjective)
- Don: A more formal synonym for putting on clothing.
- The princess donned a long blue dress.
- Assume: To take on or put on (a role, appearance, or title).
- The queen assumed the stately robes.
Synonyms
- Apply: To spread or rub a substance on a surface.
- Don: To put on an item of clothing.
- Gain: To increase in weight.
- Stage: To present a performance.
- Feign: To pretend to have or be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury).
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Put on the stove: To place a pot, pan, or kettle on a stove to heat or cook.
- Put on the tea, please!
- Put on weight: To become heavier; to gain weight.
- He has put on a lot of weight recently.
Related Idioms
- Put on the dog: To make a flashy or extravagant display, especially to impress others.
- They really put on the dog for their daughter's wedding.
- Put on hold: To postpone or delay something; to make someone wait on a telephone call.
- The project has been put on hold. Please hold the line.
Adjective
- adopted in order to deceive
- an assumed name
- an assumed cheerfulness
- a fictitious address
- fictive sympathy
- a pretended interest
- a put-on childish voice
- sham modesty
Verb
- increase (one's body weight)
- She gained 20 pounds when she stopped exercising
- fool or hoax
- The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone
- You can't fool me!
- apply to a surface
- She applied paint to the back of the house
- Put on make-up!
- prepare and supply with the necessary equipment for execution or performance
- mount a theater production
- mount an attack
- mount a play
- add to the odometer
- He put on 1,000 miles on this trip
- carry out (performances)
- They turned in a splendid effort
- They turned in top jobs for the second straight game
- put on the stove or ready for cooking
- put on the tea, please!
- add to something existing
- She put on a sun room
- put clothing on one's body
- What should I wear today?
- He put on his best suit for the wedding
- The princess donned a long blue dress
- The queen assumed the stately robes
- He got into his jeans