I. verb
Etymology: Middle English putten doun, from putten to put + doun down
transitive verb
1.
a. : to do away with : abolish , destroy
indicted on charges of failure to put down gambling — Meyer Berger
assist in putting down the pestilences — Current History
b. : to bring to an end by force (as an outbreak against authority) : suppress , crush
stern military measures put down the rioting — Jean & Franc Shor
c. Britain : to give up : discontinue using
2. : degrade , depose
has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree — Lk 1:52 (Revised Standard Version)
3. : to make ineffective : check , snub
put down gossip that she will again be a mama by labeling it the truth — Time
4. : to do away with (as an injured, sick, or aged animal) : put to death : destroy , kill
with the veterinary means … at our disposal, I would always decide to have a sufferer from this disease put down — Henry Wynmalen
5.
a. : to write down : put in writing
was careful to put down only what he knew from first-hand experience — Granville Hicks
b. : to enter in a list
one of the largest subscribers, putting his name down initially for £1,000 — W.P.Webb
putting down the industrialist's son at birth for Eton — Roy Lewis & Angus Maude
6.
a. : to place in a specified category
I put him down as a hypochondriac — O.S.J.Gogarty
I'd have put her down as being just on the far side of forty-five — Hamilton Basso
b. : attribute
prepared to put these “shortcomings” down to inexperience — C.H.Dewhurst
7. : to make by digging or drilling (as a well or pit) : sink
began putting down experimental bores — Margaret Clarke
8. : to cause (a fish) to swim near the bottom (as from alarm)
the noisy activity quickly put down the fish — F.C.Craighead b.1916 & J.J.Craighead
9.
a. : groom
much practice will be needed to put your dog down properly — Winnie Barber
b. : to eliminate (a show animal) from consideration in a competition
even the ideal cat may be put down if it is not shown in perfect condition — P.M.Soderberg
10. : to take in as food or drink
poured a stiff jolt of whiskey and put it down — Raymond Chandler
was now putting down helping after helping of the dinner — Carson McCullers
11. : to pack or preserve for future use (as meats in brine, eggs in waterglass)
put down a whole cask of pickles
12. cricket : to break (a wicket) with a fielded ball
intransitive verb
of an airplane or airplane pilot : land
put down at the airport on time
despite the rain, he put down in a perfect landing
II. transitive verb
1.
a. : belittle : disparage
many writers want to put down not only their interviews but their critics — Melvin Maddocks
b. : disapprove : criticize
put down for the way he dressed
2. : deflate : squelch
a legendary step-parent: rigid, oppressive, untrue, ever ready to put down the honest feeling and sound thought that arise within the individual — R.B.Heilman