Question 1

What does "put it down" mean?

Accepted Answer

To attribute something to a particular reason or cause (always followed by 'to').

Question 2

How do you use "put it down" in a sentence?

Accepted Answer

I made so many mistakes on the exam — I put it down to nerves.

Question 3

Is "put it down" formal or informal?

Accepted Answer

"put it down" is register-neutral — appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. The idiomatic phrase 'put it down to' means to attribute or explain something by a cause. The literal sense (physically setting something down) is transparent. The attributive sense is especially common in British English.

put it down

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