Put off

put off & puts off putting off put off put off

1. put... off p.v. When you put off something or put off doing something, you delay or postpone it. When you put people off, you delay doing something they want you to do.

Buying a new house will have to be put off until we can afford it.

The students begged the teacher to put the test off until the next week.

He pressured me for a decision, but I kept putting him off.

2. put... off p.v. When people put you off, they do or say something that offends you.

Everyone was put off by his racist jokes.

Todd went out to dinner with Nancy last night, and the way she treated the waiter really put him off.

put off part.adj. After people do or say something that offends you, you are put off. What's wrong? You seem a little put off.

1. rule... out p.v. When you rule out people or things, you eliminate them from a list. When you rule out doing something, you decide that it is something you will not do because you do not want to, because it is impossible, and so on.

The detective interviewed all the suspects and ruled everyone out except the victim's ex-wife.

Ater the hurricane they ruled out moving to Florida.

With all these medical bills to pay, maybe we should consider ruling out buying a new car.