Put someone out of his or her misery


1.
Kill a wounded or suffering animal or person, as in When a horse breaks a leg, there is nothing to do but put it out of its misery. [ Late 1700s ]
2.
End someone’s feeling of suspense, as in Tell them who won the tournament; put them out of their misery. [ c. 1920 ]
Both usages employ put out of in the sense of “extricate” or “free from.”

Read Also:

  • Put someone out

    verb phrase To impose upon; cause inconvenience (1940s+)

  • Put someone right

    see: put right

  • Put someone through his or her paces

    Test thoroughly to see what someone can do, as in We put the new programmer though her paces, and she passed with flying colors. The idiom can refer to things as well, as in When we put the electrical system through its paces, we blew a fuse. The expression alludes to testing a horse’s ability […]

  • Putamen

    [pyoo-tey-min] /pyuˈteɪ mɪn/ noun, plural putamina [pyoo-tam-uh-nuh] /pyuˈtæm ə nə/ (Show IPA) 1. Botany. a hard or stony endocarp, as a peach stone. 2. a shell membrane. /pjuːˈteɪmɛn/ noun (pl) -tamina (-ˈtæmɪnə) 1. the hard endocarp or stone of fruits such as the peach, plum, and cherry putamen pu·ta·men (pyōō-tā’mən) n. The outer, larger, and […]

  • Put a lid on someone

    verb phrase To suppress; quiet; quell: Putting a Lid on The Kid (1970s+)


Disclaimer: Put someone out of his or her misery definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.