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place

  • noun 1 a particular position or location. 2 a portion of space occupied by or set aside for someone or something. 3 a vacancy or available position. 4 a position in a sequence or hierarchy. 5 the position of a figure in a series indicated in decimal notation. 6 (in place names) a square or short street. 7 informal a person’s home.

  • verb 1 put in a particular position or situation. 2 find an appropriate place or role for. 3 allocate or award a specified position in a sequence or hierarchy. 4 (be placed) Brit. achieve a specified position in a race. 5 remember the relevant background or circumstances of. 6 arrange for the implementation of (an order, bet, etc.). 7 Rugby & American Football score (a goal) by a place kick.

  — PHRASES go places informal 1 travel. 2 be increasingly successful. in one’s place in one’s appropriate (but inferior) position or status. in place 1 working or ready to work. 2 N. Amer. on the spot; not travelling any distance. in place of instead of. out of place 1 not in the proper position. 2 in a setting where one is or feels incongruous. put someone in his (or her) place deflate or humiliate someone regarded as being arrogant. take place occur. take one’s place take up one’s usual or recognized position. take the place of replace.

  — ORIGIN Old French, from Greek plateia hodos ‘broad way’.

 

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