Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To euthanize an animal humanely: To cause the death of a sick or suffering animal in a painless and gentle manner, typically by a veterinarian administering a drug.
   • To help someone, especially a child, fall asleep: To perform actions that help a person transition from being awake to being asleep.

Usage and Examples

• Meaning 1 (Euthanize): The old dog was in constant pain, so the family made the difficult decision to put it to sleep. The vet will put the injured horse to sleep to end its suffering.

• Meaning 2 (Help fall asleep): She sang a lullaby to put the baby to sleep. After reading three bedtime stories, he finally managed to put his daughter to sleep.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used in a passive construction, especially for the first meaning.
• It implies a deliberate, careful, and controlled action intended to be kind, whether ending life or inducing sleep.

Variants and Related Words

• Euthanize (verb): A more formal and clinical synonym for the first meaning.
• Put down (verb, phrasal): An informal synonym for the first meaning (euthanize). Note: This phrasal verb can have other meanings in different contexts.
• Lull to sleep (verb phrase): A close synonym for the second meaning, emphasizing soothing.

Synonyms

• For Meaning 1: Euthanize, mercy-kill.
• For Meaning 2: Lull, rock to sleep.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The meaning is entirely dependent on context. The subject and object of the sentence clarify which sense is intended.
  • Animal as object → Typically means euthanize.
  • Person (especially a child) as object → Typically means help fall asleep.
• It is rarely, if ever, used for the euthanasia of a human, where terms like "euthanize" or "medically assisted dying" are used instead.

Verb

1. kill gently, as with an injection
   • the cat was very ill and we had to put it to sleep
2. help someone go to bed
   • Mother put the baby to sleep