What Does “Put sb under” Mean?
“Put sb under” means to cause someone to fall asleep or become unconscious, often using medicine or other methods.
Introduction
The phrase “Put sb under” is commonly used in medical and informal contexts. It refers to making someone unconscious, usually during surgery or a medical procedure, by using anesthesia or other drugs. Understanding the Put sb under meaning helps learners recognize when someone is being sedated or temporarily unconscious. This phrasal verb is useful for talking about medical treatments, hypnosis, or even strong influence over someone’s mind.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Put somebody under
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: To cause someone to become unconscious, typically by anesthesia
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Put sb under” is a transitive and inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot separate “put” and “under” by the object.
- Correct: The doctor put the patient under before the surgery.
- Incorrect: The doctor put under the patient.
Pattern: Put + somebody + under
How to Use Put sb under?
This phrasal verb is mainly used in medical or formal contexts. You use it when talking about anesthesia or sedation. You can also use it metaphorically to describe strong influence or control over someone’s mind, but this is less common.
Example contexts include:
- Doctors putting patients under anesthesia before an operation.
- Hypnotists putting subjects under hypnosis.
- Figuratively, when someone is strongly influenced or controlled.
Examples
Here are some natural sentences showing how to use “Put sb under” in a sentence:
- The surgeon put the patient under before starting the operation.
- They put him under general anesthesia to avoid pain during the procedure.
- The hypnotist put her under a deep trance during the show.
- The medication put me under quickly so I could rest.
- She felt like her boss put her under pressure to finish the project.
Common Mistakes
People often confuse the placement of the object when using “Put sb under.” Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: The nurse put under the patient before surgery.
- Correct: The nurse put the patient under before surgery.
- Incorrect: He was put under anesthesia by the doctor.
- Correct: He was put under by the doctor.
Remember, the object (somebody) always comes immediately after “put.”
Differences / Synonyms
“Put sb under” is similar to “anesthetize” or “sedate,” but it is more informal and commonly used in spoken English.
Other phrasal verbs like “knock sb out” also mean to make someone unconscious but can imply more sudden or violent action.
- Put sb under – medical, controlled unconsciousness (usually anesthesia)
- Knock sb out – to cause unconsciousness, often by a blow
- Sedate sb – to calm or make someone sleepy using drugs
Common Collocations
In medical contexts, “put sb under” often pairs with these words:
- anesthesia – the drug used to make someone unconscious
- general anesthesia – complete unconsciousness
- hypnosis – a trance-like state induced by a hypnotist
- sedation – calming or sleep-inducing medication
- operation – surgical procedure
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of put sb under:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “Put sb under”:
Patient: Will I be awake during the surgery?
Doctor: No, we will put you under general anesthesia so you won’t feel anything.
Patient: That sounds good. I’m a bit nervous.
Doctor: Don’t worry, you’ll be asleep the whole time.
Practice
Try to complete the sentence below with the correct form of “Put sb under”:
- The dentist will ________ you ________ before the tooth extraction.
Options:
- a) put under
- b) put you under
- c) put under you
- d) put you
Answer: b) put you under
FAQ
- Q: Can “put sb under” be used outside medical contexts?
A: Yes, sometimes it is used metaphorically to mean controlling or influencing someone. - Q: Is “put sb under” separable?
A: No, the object always comes between “put” and “under.” - Q: What is the difference between “put sb under” and “knock sb out”?
A: “Put sb under” is controlled unconsciousness, usually medical; “knock sb out” is sudden and often violent. - Q: Can you use “put sb under” in the passive voice?
A: Yes, for example, “He was put under before surgery.” - Q: What level of English is “put sb under”?
A: It is mostly B2 level, suitable for intermediate learners.
