put paid to

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

put paid to (third-person singular simple present puts paid to, present participle putting paid to, simple past and past participle put paid to)

1. (chiefly UK, dated) To mark a bill or a debt record as "paid".
2. (chiefly UK, idiomatic) To terminate; to cancel (plans or expectations); to stop something once and for all.

   The rain put paid to our plans for a picnic.

3. To demonstrate as completely false.

   The young man standing outside the door, shaking like a leaf, looking like he was about to pee himself, put paid to his claim in a quavering voice, "I am not afraid!"

Synonyms

• put a stop to, put an end to, finish off