A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

put one’s heart into something
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retary keeps putting me off. 3. distract smb. from work or an
activity: The singer was put off by a sudden noise outside,
and was unable to continue.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase lay someone off— stop employing a person (because of a
lack of work): Hundreds of workers were laid off when the fac-
tory was closed after the fire.
put someone in • put someone inside
put someone in —
1
. employ smb. for a specific position: The
post office was moved five miles to the railroad station, and
they put in a new man. 2. enter smb. for an examination, con-
test, etc.: At first the manager refused to put me in but the
fans almost started a riot, screaming to let me play. 3. get a
person elected: Until the people have had a chance to vote on
his performance in his first term, I don’t think we should be
asked to put him in.
put someone inside —(coll.) put a person in prison: Sharon
Gilmour was childish and spoiled, and was put inside on drug
charges.
put someone in charge • put someone on a charge
put someone in charge —cause a person to have supervision
or control of smth.: The day when the editor put me in charge
of a department was an important mile post.
put someone on a charge —(legal) accuse a person of a par-
ticular offence: Patrick trembles with fear and relief when he
thinks of Mr. Fergusson who first put him on a charge.
See also: take charge of someone / take someone in charge.
put someone into the chair • send someone to the
chair
put someone into the chair —(also: put someone in the chair)
1
. elect a person chairman: Most of the meetings were held in
our Church House, and at all of them I was put into the chair.
2. nominate a person to a position of authority: A demagogue
of greater talent may practically pull the wires of a President
whom he has put into the chair.
send someone to the chair —sentence a criminal to death by
electrocution: “Reckon what they’ll do to Floyd for that?”
“Send him to the chair probably,” Jim Howard said.