place
/pleɪs
/noun
1A particular position, point, or area in space; a location: I can’t be in two places at once the monastery was a peaceful place that street was no place for a lady figurative he would always have a special place in her heart...
- Residents say the area was once a peaceful place to live, but has been ruined by unruly youths.
- Most nodded approvingly, for this region has a big place in the hearts of many Azeris.
- Aberdeen, as a city and as a club, still have a big place in my heart.
Synonyms
location, site, spot, scene, setting, position, point, situation, area, region, whereabouts, locale;
venue
technical locus
town, city, village, hamlet;
country, state, area, region;
locality, district, neighbourhood, quarter, section
literary clime
1.1A particular area on a larger surface: he lashed out and cut the policeman’s hand in three places...
- The surface had failed in places, and this had allowed grass and weeds to come through.
- A lot of heavy lorries use this road, and the surface is terrible in places.
- Even now, although this land is being developed in places in the village, there are still vast areas left undeveloped.
1.2A building or area used for a specified purpose or activity: the town has many excellent eating places a place of worship...
- What we have now is a splendid modern building, a place of worship and a resource centre for the whole community.
- They applied for Planning permission to use the building as a place of worship and I went to the public meeting.
- There are huge pedestrian walk ways and squares with theatres, museums and places to eat and drink.
1.3 informal A person’s home: what about dinner at my place?...
- I'm still nursing my head after a heavy night at my place with dinner guests.
- Now he is staying with friends, until his place is habitable once again.
- It turned out the man had several places in the big city, which surprised her quite a bit.
Synonyms
home, house, flat, apartment, a roof over one's head;
accommodation, establishment, property;
rooms, quarters, lodgings;
French pied-à-terre
informal pad, digs
British informal gaff
formal residence, abode, dwelling, dwelling place, domicile, habitation
1.4A point in a book or other text reached by a reader at a particular time: I must have lost my place in the script...
- It's a great way to make your point but I was at a really good spot in my book and the shoes just made me lose my place.
2A portion of space designated or available for or being used by someone: they hurried to their places at the table Jackie had saved her a place...
- Forty places for cars are available in the underground car park under the supermarket.
- So they said they would tell me when a place became available for me to sit until a table became available.
- He had saved a place for him in the middle of the table and was guarding it diligently.
Synonyms
seat, chair, position, space
2.1A vacancy or available position: he was offered a place at Liverpool University...
- She has been offered a place to study politics and modern history at Oxford.
- Around the time of my diagnosis I had also been offered a place to study for an MPhil in philosophy.
- Seven sixth form students from Bootham School in York have been offered places to study at Cambridge or Oxford universities.
Synonyms
job, day job, position, post, appointment, situation, office;
employment
informal berth
archaic employ
2.2The regular or proper position of something: she put the book back in its place...
- In comes a calm, regionally balanced economy with the housing market in its proper place.
- The cold, round meal tray is impassively in front, with two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks placed in their proper places.
- Even if such indicators are present, they are not placed at the proper places.
2.3A person’s rank or status: occupation structures a person’s place in society...
- There's a mountain of work to be done if they are to get back their rightful place in senior ranks.
- People go to jail these days, and when they come out they blithely resume their place in society.
- If you receive more cards than you send, your place in society is assured.
Synonyms
status, position, station, standing, grade, rank, footing, niche
dated estate
2.4 [usually with negative] A right or privilege resulting from someone’s role or position: I’m sure she has a story to tell, but it’s not my place to ask...
- He said it was not his place to defend his role, but that he had represented the family to the best of his ability.
- He was reluctant to become involved in the issue, stating it was not his place to comment.
- It's not my place to give advice on how artists should set themselves up.
Synonyms
responsibility, duty, job, task, role, function, part, concern, affair, mission, charge;
right, privilege, prerogative
2.5The role played by or importance attached to someone or something in a particular context: the place of computers in improving office efficiency...
- All three have their important place in the law of torts, but the liability attached to them will differ.
- Does the independent press have an important place in literary life or is it little more than vanity publishing?
- I think flood irrigation is going to have an important place here for a long time.
3A position in a sequence or series, typically one ordered on the basis of merit: his score left him in ninth place...
- He dropped more than 50 Order of Merit places to 74th and managed only one top-ten finish.
- He used the image of a guest at a banquet who chooses the lowest place in order to be seen being elevated to a higher one.
- Inevitably, the victory earned him the order of merit title, swapping places with Bradley who had captured it last year.
3.1British Any of the first three or sometimes four positions in a race (used especially of the second, third, or fourth positions).He has an impressive National record, with two second places, a third and a fourth but has yet to capture the big prize itself....
- In qualifying we clinched the pole position, and in the race, second and third places.
- Pole position and a second place in the race made a great weekend for him and for the whole team.
3.2North American The second position, especially in a horse race.He comes in after a monster effort last time out that only ended in a place showing.
3.3The degree of priority given to something: accurate reportage takes second place to lurid detail...
- Beauty and history usually takes second place to money and progress (if you want to call it that).
3.4The position of a figure in a series indicated in decimal or similar notation, especially one after the decimal point: calculate the ratios to one decimal place...
- Convert the decimal to a percentage by moving the decimal point two places to the right.
- In their rush to smile for the cameras, someone apparently bumped a decimal point six places to the right.
- Our future discoveries must be looked for in the sixth place of decimals.
4 [in place names] A square or short street: the lecture theatre is in New Burlington Place...
- A memorial was erected to her in St Martin's Place, off Trafalgar Square, London.
- Located at 15 Westland Place, Fifteen is just a short walk from Old Street Tube station.
- On the west pavement at 7 Croall Place is Borland's Darts and Television Emporium.
4.1A country house with its grounds.Foots Cray Place was the home of the one-time Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nicholas Vansittart, Lord Bexley....
- Grove Place was the home of John de la Grave in 1296.
verb [with object]
1 [with object and adverbial] Put in a particular position: a newspaper had been placed beside my plate...
- Yesterday the memorial was roped off, and a wreath had been placed beside it.
- I crossed my legs and placed myself beside him on the bed, the mattress sinking a little under weight.
- The Queen gestured to a tray that had been placed beside the bed filled with all sorts of food.
Synonyms
put down, put, set, set down, lay down, deposit, position, plant, rest, stand, sit, settle, station, situate, leave, stow, prop, lean;
arrange, set out, array
informal stick, dump, bung, park, plonk, pop
North American informal plunk
1.1Cause to be in a particular situation: enemy officers were placed under arrest you are not placing yourself under any obligation...
- A prisoner may not be placed in a situation that can endanger him or her or otherwise result in physical or other harm.
- She not only placed herself in the position of telling lies, but endangered the lives of children for personal gain.
- Lecturers have been placed in the position where they are not so much leaders as followers of their students.
1.2Allocate or assign (an abstract quality) to something: they place a great deal of emphasis on positive thought...
- I give both of them a high five for placing quality of life over signing for top dollar.
- To attain these goals, emphasis must be placed on the quality of training of teachers at the primary and secondary levels.
- How much emphasis has been placed on qualitative research methodology as opposed to its application?
Synonyms
put, lay, set, pin, invest
1.3 (be placed) Have a specified degree of advantage or convenience as a result of one’s position or circumstances: [with infinitive]: the company is well placed to seize the opportunity...
- He was best placed to take advantage and went on to win from Charlie with McAlpin third.
- He, with his rugged good looks and background, was ideally placed to take advantage of this trend.
- He thinks that Britain is uniquely placed to exploit the advantages of its genetic diversity.
2Find a home or employment for: the children were placed with foster-parents...
- The family made the decision not to contact police until she gave birth to a baby girl, who was immediately placed with foster parents.
- He was taken into care before being placed with foster parents.
- In the same vein, the entity charged with placing redundant workers into employment, has not improved.
Synonyms
find employment for, find a job for;
find a home for, accommodate, find accommodation for;
allocate, assign, appoint
2.1Dispose of (something, especially shares) by selling to a customer: the shares were placed last November...
- In effect, this means that if there is any difficulty in placing the shares, he and his associates will put up the money.
- "The controlling shareholder is placing the shares before the deal is completed, " he said.
- It also plans to raise €8 million by placing over 53 million shares, which he has committed to buy if no new investors emerge.
2.2Arrange for the recognition and implementation of (an order, bet, etc.): they placed a contract for three boats...
- This time at a lower register which is both more commanding and better suited to an auditory range ruined by years placing bets at the dog track at Concreton.
- If an offer, will CostPlus be in breach of contract in attempting to increase the price after Philip has placed an order?
- Check with the manufacturer for the exact amount when placing your order.
2.3Order or obtain a connection for (a telephone call) through an operator: she placed a call to her husband to break the news...
- A precedent has been set that thuggish bigots can dictate who plays in a football match by placing one threatening telephone call to the BBC.
- The Upper Arlington Fire Division placed a call for a NAS-T Fire Investigation response.
- Sometimes people living in the same city prefer to keep in touch with each other through e-mail or text-messaging rather then meeting in person or placing a phone call.
3 [with object and adverbial] Identify or classify as being of a specified type or as holding a specified position in a sequence or hierarchy: a survey placed the company 13th for achievement...
- In that survey Portlaoise was placed 18th in the league and deemed moderately littered.
- The annual survey placed Egg, HSBC and Nationwide in the top three spots.
- Frequently, however, it was difficult to determine where in the natural hierarchy a creature should be placed.
Synonyms
rank, order, put in order, grade, group, arrange, sort, class, classify, categorize;
put, set, assign
3.1 [with object, usually with negative] Be able to remember or identify (someone or something): she eventually said she couldn’t place him...
- Listeners are invited to take part in an audio game in which they must identify and place the sounds they hear.
- His words that morning had placed him in her mind, and she prayed for his safety as the wall began to crumble.
- Still, I couldn't place her but even her clothing, a worn leather jacket and a red knit scarf, had a certain familiarity.
Synonyms
identify, recognize, remember, put one's finger on, put a name to, pin down, locate, pinpoint
3.2 (be placed) British Achieve a specified position in a race: he was placed eleventh in the long individual race...
- He has won twenty-four of these races and has been placed between second and fourth in the others.
- He was also placed fourth in the individual race whilst she was third in the Year 8 girls' race.
- The two horses had been nicely placed throughout the race with the favourite Our Vic being led down by some poor jumping.
3.3 [no object] Be among the first three or four in a race (or the first three in the US): he won three times and placed three times (be placed) the horse, Bahuddin, was not placed at Lingfield...
- He has won four of 13 starts, placing in seven other races, and has earned $190,190.
- A top-class swimmer and cross-country runner as a junior, she won the London Triathlon in 2001 and is now placing consistently well in World Cup events.
- Though her piece wasn't chosen as the cover, she said placing among the finalists inspired her to explore her talent.
4 Rugby & American Football Score (a goal) by a place kick.Both teams had great difficulty in scoring from play with nearly all the scores coming from placed balls....
- He sent in a large range goal from a placed ball in the fifth minute.
- He shot Tinryland's early second half score from a placed ball.
Phrases
give place to
go places
in place
in someone's place
in place of
keep someone in his (or her) place
out of place
a place in the sun
put oneself in another's place
put someone in his (or her) place
take place
take one's place
take the place of
Derivatives
placeless
- It's set in America, though we actually filmed it in the Isle of Man and London, with settings that look very American but also have a placeless, timeless quality.
- Osian's charm is its placeless, timeless, colonial bush-camp feel, where you stay in traditional white canvas tents (with real beds and bathrooms) ride camels away from the hordes, dine al fresco, and wind up listening to blues in the bar.
- Conscience, imagination, and vision are sometimes called timeless, placeless, and so on because they transcend the locality but not the reality of individual debates; they are eternally relevant.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French, from an alteration of Latin platea 'open space', from Greek plateia (hodos) 'broad (way)'.
If you have been to Italy or Spain you have probably visited the piazza or plaza of a town. These words have the same origin as English place and French place ‘(public) square’, namely Latin platea ‘open space’, from Greek plateia hodos ‘broad way’. From the early Middle Ages, when it was adopted from French, place superseded stow (found in place names such as Stow on the Wold and Padstow) and stead, as in Wanstead. The sense ‘a space that can be occupied’ developed in Middle English from this. The orderly person's mantra a place for everything and everything in its place goes back to the 17th century, but the modern formulation first appears in the 1840s in Captain Frederick Marryat's nautical yarn Masterman Ready: ‘In a well-conducted man-of-war…every thing in its place, and there is a place for every thing.’ In 1897 the German Chancellor Prince Bernhard von Bülow, made a speech in the Reichstag in which he declared, ‘we desire to throw no one into the shade [in East Asia], but we also demand our place in the sun’. As a result the expression a place in the sun, ‘a position of favour or advantage’, has been associated with German nationalism. However, it is recorded much earlier, and is traceable back to the writings of the 17th-century French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal.