put on
Preserved but no longer current.
To promise another money or valuables in the event of an anticipated success. "You’re ON a quid if Kaiser wins," might often have been heard before last St. Leger. Many hangers-on of the turf live almost entirely by what they are PUT ON, by bookmakers and backers for whom they do odd work.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “put on” mean?
To promise another money or valuables in the event of an anticipated success. "You’re ON a quid if Kaiser wins," might often have been heard before last St. Leger. Many hangers-on of the turf live almost entirely by what they are PUT ON, by bookmakers and backers for whom they do odd work.
Is “put on” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.