to move something or someone into a particular place or position
Please put your coat on the hook by the door.
He gently put the sleeping baby in the crib and smiled.
✦ Old English ‘putian’, meaning ‘to push’.
to cause someone or something to be in a particular state or situation
Her calm voice put the nervous puppy at ease.
The heavy rain put our outdoor concert on hold.
✦ Extension of sense ‘place’ to more abstract states, recorded since Middle English.
to express something in words, especially in a particular way
I didn’t know how to put my feelings into words.
He put it politely, but the answer was still no.
✦ Sense evolved in 16th century from the idea of ‘placing’ words.
to type or otherwise put information, numbers, or commands into a computer or other device
Please input your password to continue.
She input the survey data into the spreadsheet.
✦ verb use recorded from 1946, back-formed from the noun
to produce something, especially information or power, and send it out
The software quickly outputs a full report.
When pressed, the smart speaker outputs clear audio.
✦ verb use developed from the noun in the early 1900s, especially in technical contexts
