English edit

Verb edit

put about (third-person singular simple present puts about, present participle putting about, simple past and past participle put about)

  1. (intransitive, nautical) To change direction.
    • 1886, Herman Melville, Billy Budd:
      It had been incurred by a little fellow, young, a novice, an afterguardsman absent from his assigned post when the ship was being put about.
  2. (transitive) To circulate (a rumour).
    Synonyms: circulate, spread, disseminate

Related terms edit

Translations edit

Adjective edit

put about (comparative more put about, superlative most put about)

  1. (dated) disturbed; upset
    • 1878, Mrs. James Mason, All about Edith, page 124:
      I asked for a card, please, and she was quite put about, and said that she didn't require tickets to get in where she visited.