Put down means to place something on a table, the floor or the ground, or to criticise someone in a way that makes them feel small. The first meaning is about things: put your bag down. The second is about people: put someone down means to talk in a way that makes a person feel stupid or unimportant.
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put + something + down (on + surface); put + it/them + down; put + someone + down
- She put the heavy box down on the kitchen table and sat down.
- Put your phone down for a minute and look at the map with me.
- A good manager never puts people down in front of the whole team.
What changed
First versionThat box is heavy, so put down it here and have a rest.
RevisionThat box is heavy, so put it down here and have a rest.
When the thing is a pronoun, it goes between put and down: put it down. Learners often put the object straight after the verb and say put down it, but that is not possible. With a noun both orders work: put the box down and put down the box.
Don't confuse it with let down. Put someone down means to belittle them with words, to make them look stupid. Let someone down means to disappoint them by not doing what you promised: You promised to come, and you let me down.
Your turn
Her boss often ___ in front of clients by calling her ideas stupid, so she has decided to leave.
Show the answer
puts her down — Calling someone's ideas stupid makes them feel small, so puts her down. Lets her down means 'disappoints her': it's used about broken promises, not harsh words.
Describe what you do when you get home. Use put down and name the object and the place where you put it.
When I get home, I put my keys down on the shelf by the door and take off my shoes.
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