place

place1 [ pleıs ] noun count ***

▸ 1 area/position

▸ 2 town/country/building

▸ 3 opportunity to be in something

▸ 4 seat/position

▸ 5 position in a race etc.

▸ 6 right occasion for something

▸ 7 point in book etc.

▸ 8 importance to people

▸ 9 dishes etc. for 1 person

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) an area or position:

I don't like crowded places.

Let's find a quiet place where we can talk.

Keep your credit cards in a safe place.

Will had broken his jaw in three places.

a ) the position where someone or something is, or where it should be:

She put the book back in its place.

Cara walked back to her place and sat down.

into place (=into the correct position): She shut the door and slid the bolt into place.

The mechanism locked into place.

b ) in places in some areas but not all areas:

The wall was damaged in places.

2. ) a particular town, country, building, store, etc.:

They live in a small place called Hunter's Gap.

With a little work this place could look lovely.

This is the only place that sells this type of candy.

The trip includes a visit to the Hall of Fame and other places of interest.

a ) an area, building, or space that is used for or appropriate for a particular purpose:

a popular eating place

place for: Cyprus is a great place for a vacation.

place to do something: Is this a safe place to swim?

I always thought Italy would be a great place to live.

b ) a house, apartment, etc. for living in:

They've bought a lovely little place in Aspen.

your/my/her etc. place: Let's have the party at my place.

c ) place of work/business/residence FORMAL the area where you work/have your business/live:

He lives in a studio apartment near his place of work.

d ) place of worship FORMAL a church or other building where people hold religious ceremonies

3. ) an opportunity to be a member of a sports team or to take part in a game or competition:

win/secure/earn/clinch a place: Jones has earned a place on the Olympic team.

Capriati clinched a place in the semifinals with that win.

a ) an opportunity to join a school, college, course, etc.:

Places for children in day care are scarce in some parts of the country.

Course organizers are hoping that all the places will be filled.

b ) an opportunity to be part of an organization or business:

place on: She was offered a place on the committee.

They're looking for someone to fill Jackson's place on the management team.

4. ) a seat on a train, or bus, in a theater, etc., or a position in a line:

There's no place to sit.

lose your place: I had to go to the bathroom, so I lost my place in line.

save/keep someone's place: Would you mind saving my place while I go and get some ice cream?

5. ) the position you achieve in a race or competition:

After a good performance at Wimbledon, she jumped six places in the world rankings.

first/second etc. place: Right now the Islanders are tied with Buffalo for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Rafferty completed his round in 69, to take third place at the halfway stage.

6. ) the right occasion or time for something:

Let's not talk about it now. It isn't the place.

neither the time nor the place: This is neither the time nor the place to discuss our relationship.

7. ) the point you have reached in a book, speech, etc.:

He marked his place with a piece of paper.

lose your place: I lost my place when he interrupted me.

8. ) usually singular the importance that someone or something has in people's lives or in their minds:

The house has a special place in the royal family's affections.

a discussion on the place of soap operas in popular culture

someone's place in history: De Klerk secured his place in history by releasing Mandela and starting the process of change.

9. ) the set of dishes, knives, forks and spoons arranged on a table for one person to use:

a table set with three places

all over the place

1. ) in or to many different places: EVERYWHERE:

I travel all over the place in my job.

2. ) in a messy state:

You couldn't find anything because his papers were all over the place.

3. ) not well planned or organized:

Their taxation plans, frankly, are all over the place.

as if you own the place

if someone behaves as if they own the place, they behave in an annoying way that shows they think they are very important:

Richard was strutting around as if he owned the place.

be no place for

to not be an appropriate place for someone or something:

A damp climate is no place for someone with asthma.

change/swap places (with someone)

to take someone's position while they take yours:

I'd love to swap places with someone famous, just for a day.

fall/fit into place

1. ) if something falls or fits into place, you suddenly understand something that you previously have been unable to understand:

It all fell into place when I learned he'd been to New York that weekend.

2. ) if things fall or fit into place, they start to happen in the way you want them to:

After weeks of total chaos, suddenly everything just fell into place.

going places

starting to be successful:

a company that is really going places

have no place

to not be appropriate or right in a particular situation:

She believed that religious teaching had no place in the school curriculum.

there is no place for...: There's no place for sentiment when you're negotiating a business deal.

in place

1. ) to exist and be capable of being used:

We didn't have the structure in place to deal with so many orders.

A staff of four counselors is in place to handle calls to the new hotline.

put something in place: We need to put safeguards in place to prevent this type of accident from occurring again.

2. ) in the correct position:

The chairs were not yet in place for the concert.

3. ) AMERICAN without leaving the position you are in. British on the spot:

We had to run in place for five minutes.

in someone's place

used for talking about what you would do if you were in the same situation as someone else:

Wouldn't you do the same if you were in Bill's place?

put yourself in someone's place (=imagine what a situation is like for someone): If you think you've got problems, put yourself in my place.

in place of something or in something's place

instead of something or someone:

The idea was to abandon the communist model, and create a market economy in its place.

In place of ordinary light bulbs, you could use fluorescent lamps.

out of place

1. ) if someone feels out of place or is out of place, they feel uncomfortable in a particular situation or place, or they do not belong there:

I felt very out of place among Helen's high-class friends.

2. ) if something looks out of place, it is in a position where it does not belong or look good:

It's a lovely table but it would look out of place with all our antique furniture.

3. ) in the wrong position:

Mel looked immaculate with not even a hair out of place.

take someone's place or take the place of someone

to do something instead of someone else:

No one could ever take the place of her father.

Joe resigned as chairperson in 1999 and I took his place.

take something's place or take the place of something

to be used instead of something else:

DVD systems are rapidly taking the place of VCRs.

take your place

1. ) to go to a particular position so that you are ready to do something:

Bjorn took his place at the microphone.

2. ) to become part of a particular group of people or things:

The restaurant has taken its place among the finest eating establishments in the city.

place

place 2 [ pleıs ] verb transitive ***

▸ 1 put something somewhere

▸ 2 put someone in situation

▸ 3 make someone experience something

▸ 4 have particular attitude

▸ 5 decide importance of something

▸ 6 arrange someone's home/job

▸ 7 finish (second) in race

▸ 8 remember/recognize

▸ 9 arrange advertisement

▸ 10 make a bet

▸ 11 order something from company

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) to put something somewhere, especially in a careful or deliberate way:

place something on/under/into etc.: Ella placed the dish on the table.

Don't worry, said Judy, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, and gradually add water.

a ) be well/conveniently/ideally/strategically etc. placed to be in a particular place, especially one that is convenient or has other advantages:

The hotel is right in the center of Innsbruck, ideally placed for all the shops, cafes and nightlife.

There are light switches conveniently placed on each side of the bed.

2. ) to put someone in a particular situation or state, especially a difficult or unpleasant one:

place someone in/at/under something: Her decision places me in an awkward situation.

The high level of the dollar is placing exporters at a serious disadvantage.

place someone/something under strain/pressure: The company is severely understaffed, which places employees under great pressure.

a ) to put a person or place under someone else's control or protection:

place someone/something under something: At the end of the war, the island was placed under French control.

We place each trainee under the care and supervision of an experienced member of staff.

Monga had his passport withdrawn, and was placed under house arrest.

b ) be well/ideally/uniquely etc. placed to do something to be in a particular situation that gives you an advantage or opportunity:

He was ideally placed to get the job.

With a strong economy and stable currency, the country is well placed to cope with the challenges of joining the EU.

3. ) if you place limits, responsibilities, pressures, etc. on someone, you make them experience them:

place limits/restrictions on: Parents should place limits on the amount of time their children spend on the Internet.

place burdens/strain/pressure on: The large influx of refugees was placing a great burden on Pakistan's resources.

4. ) to have a particular attitude toward someone or something:

place blame/faith/hope/reliance etc. on: She placed the blame squarely on George.

He placed great faith in her abilities.

5. ) to decide how good or important something is in comparison with other things:

place something above something: The company was accused of placing profit above performance.

place emphasis/importance/value on something: The school places great emphasis on the safety of its students.

Customers were placing more importance on quality than simply on cost.

6. ) to arrange for someone to work or live somewhere:

He had to place his mother in a nursing home.

The employment agency placed me with a local law firm.

7. ) intransitive AMERICAN to finish a competition in a particular position:

place first/third etc.: The 23-year-old from Sun Valley, Idaho, placed first in six World Cup downhill races.

a ) intransitive to finish second in a race, especially in a horse race

b ) be placed first/second etc. BRITISH to finish in first/second etc. position

8. ) usually in negatives to recognize someone or something and remember their name:

He looks familiar, but I can't place him.

I could hear music in the background, but the tune was difficult to place.

9. ) if you place an advertisement, you arrange for it to be in a newspaper or magazine

10. ) if you place a BET, you give money to someone saying that you think a person, team, animal, etc. will win a competition

11. ) if you place an order, you ask a company to sell you something and send it to you:

Orders may be placed by telephone or on the Internet.

how are you placed for something? SPOKEN

used for asking whether someone has enough of something:

How are you placed for cash?

how are you placed for doing something? BRITISH SPOKEN

used for asking whether someone can do something:

How are you placed for babysitting the kids this weekend?

place something in someone's hands

to make someone responsible for dealing with something:

Responsibility for the budget was placed in the hands of Congress.