Put in place

Question

You would say,Put it in my place, in his place, and in place, but why not in the place? Do you ever use "put it in the place"?Thank you.

GPY · Accepted Answer

onizoYou would say,Put it in my place, in his place,

In what situation are you envisaging that "Put it in my/his place" would be said?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

in place (Idiom): http://www.thefreedictionary.com/put+in+place
1. In the appropriate or usual position or order: With everything in place, she started the slide show.
2. In the same spot; without moving forwards or backwards: While marching in place, the band played a popular tune.

Put it in my/his/her place. = Put it in the chair where I/he/she will sit.

Put it in the place where it belongs. = Return it to its customary position.

Put him in his place. = Another idiom.http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put+in+place

Put yourself in his place. = Another idiom. See previous link.

Deadrat · Answer

With the possessive pronoun, it means corrected.  If someone put you in your place, he thought you were out of line.

Onizo · Answer

Thank you guys, as always.

So, to correct sombody, I am with Alphecca, and I feel like it should be "put him in his place." But I have a feeling that GPY and deadrat think "put it in his place" just means the same. Am I correct?

It was good to know putting someone in his place has such a meaning, but I was looking more at physical places, when I started the post, so let me try to clear this problem.

1. put the puzzle piece in place.
2. Put the puzzle pieces in place.
3. Put the puzzle pieces in places.
4. Put the puzzle pieces in the places.
5. Put the puzzle pieces in their places.

First of all, which one is correct?
Second, In order to put a puzzle piece in its correct place, I guess you need "the" as it will state that no other places but only one right place, but in real you don't seem to use it still, is that correct? Then why?

GPY · Answer

onizoSo, to correct sombody, I am with Alphecca, and I feel like it should be "put him in his place." But I have a feeling that GPY and deadrat think "put it in his place" just means the same. Am I correct?

Not really. As mentioned above, "put him in his place" (in general "put someone in their place") is an idiomatic expression with a particular special meaning. (It is not completely impossible for it to be literal, but the idiomatic meaning is the one that most readily comes to mind.) "put it in his place" is not an idiomatic expression. Nevertheless, it is grammatical, and meaningful in a literal sense, and it may be appropriate in a certain situation. It is not obvious without further information what situation you might be thinking of.

onizo1. put the puzzle piece in place.2. Put the puzzle pieces in place.3. Put the puzzle pieces in places.4. Put the puzzle pieces in the places.5. Put the puzzle pieces in their places.

(1) and (2) are the most likely. (5) is feasible I suppose. (4) seems less likely, and (3) seems pretty unnatural.

onizoSecond, In order to put a puzzle piece in its correct place, I guess you need "the" as it will state that no other places but only one right place, but in real you don't seem to use it still, is that correct? Then why?

"in place" is an idiomatic phrase meaning (in this context) "in its usual or correct position" (http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/place).

Onizo · Answer

onizo1. put the puzzle piece in place.2. Put the puzzle pieces in place.3. Put the puzzle pieces in places.4. Put the puzzle pieces in the places.5. Put the puzzle pieces in their places.

(1) and (2) are the most likely. (5) is feasible I suppose. (4) seems less likely, and (3) seems pretty unnatural.

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Thank you, GPY.

Ok, now I think about it; the puzzle pieces I had in mind weren't adult version jigsaw puzzle, but a board with wooden pieces, of which board you need to just put pieces in the concaved spaces; there isn't much you need to turn the piece around to fit in to gage its correct position.
Does this change anything?

GPY · Answer

onizoDoes this change anything?

No.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

1. Put the puzzle piece in its place.
A puzzle piece has only one correct position, and that is "its (the piece's) place."

That is a bit more natural to me than:
1. Put the puzzle piece in place.

My father always liked a neat house.
He said, "Everything has its place. When you use something, return it to its place when you are done."

Onizo · Answer

Thank you again.

Do you think, however, this sentence would work?

"The place the piece is in is not for that, so take it out."

AlpheccaStars · Answer

The place the piece is in is not for that one, so take it out.

Simpler:

That piece does not fit, so take it out.

Put in place

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