
IdiomDaily Life
English
put someone in their place
Meaning: To remind someone firmly that they are not as important as they think.
Example: “The old waiter put the rude customer in his place with one sentence.”
Origin: "Place" means one's position in a social order. The phrase is common from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Swedish: sätta någon på plats Literally: To set someone on place
More English idioms
- cool as a cucumber Very calm, especially under pressure.
- in broad daylight Openly, during the day, when anyone could see.
- not my circus, not my monkeys It's not my problem, so I'm staying out of it.
- wish the ground would swallow one up To feel so embarrassed that one wants to disappear.
- have one's head screwed on To be sensible and practical.
- a ballpark figure A rough estimate.
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