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put upon

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: put-upon

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “not self-evident to me”)

Adjective

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

  1. Imposed on, taken advantage of, used, taken for granted, or unappreciated.
    • 1876 May – 1877 July, Anthony Trollope, The American Senator [], volume III, London: Chapman and Hall, [], published 1877, →OCLC, page 209:
      A man shouldn't let hisself be put upon by circumstances so as to be only half hisself.
    • 1909, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 19, in Mike: A Public School Story:
      Here was he, about to receive his first eleven colours on this very day probably, being ordered about, inconvenienced—in short, put upon by a worm who had only just scraped into the third.
    • 1984 May 28, Bob Woodward, “John Belushi: ‘Saturday Night’ grind, drugs take their toll”, in Milwaukee Journal, retrieved 28 September 2010, page 6:
      He felt put upon if she asked him to do the slightest household chore or to conform to any schedule of meals and sleep.
    • 2002 November 24, Mark Heisler, “On the NBA: Lakers Are Still Drama Kings”, in Los Angeles Times, page D14:
      His toe hurt, he was heavy, he lacked his old explosiveness, he felt put upon by everyone.

Synonyms

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Translations

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