put upon
put-upon
To use (someone) unfairly; expect too much from. Used in the passive or in the past participle.
Martha was put upon by the bigger girls.
Arthur was a much put-upon person.
put wise
To tell (someone) facts that will give him an advantage over others or make him alert to opportunity or danger. Often used with to.
The new boy did not know that Jim was playing a trick on him, so I put him wise.
Someone put the police wise to the plan of the bank robbers, and when the robbers went into the bank, the police were waiting to catch them.
put words into one's mouth
To say without proof that another person has certain feelings or opinions; claim a stand or an idea is another's without asking; speak for another without right.
When he said "John here is in favor of the idea." I told him not to put words in my mouth.
put-on
An act of teasing; the playing of a practical joke on someone.
Eric didn't realize that it was a put-on when his friends phoned him that he won the lottery.
put-up
Artificially arranged; plotted; phony; illegal.
The FBI was sure that the bank robbers worked together with an insider and that the whole affair was a put-up job.
putdown
An insult.
It was a nasty putdown when John called his sister a fat cow.
stay put
To stay in place; not leave.
Harry's father told him to stay put until he came back.
The rocks can be glued to the bulletin board to make them stay put.
After Grandmother came home from her trip to visit Aunt May, she said she wanted to stay put for a while.
to say the least
to put it mildly
To understate; express as mildly as possible.
After all we did for him, his behavior toward us, to say the least, was a poor way to show his appreciation.