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Put Paid To
Put Paid To
Put Paid To : Phrases
Meaning:
To deal with effectively; to finish something off.
Example:
Origin:
'Put paid to' probably derives from the practice of book-keepers of writing or stamping "Paid" on bills when the paperwork for a sale was completed. The term isn't especially old and I can't find any examples of it in print prior to the 20th century. An early citation comes from the Winnipeg newspaper The Manitoba Morning Free Press, October 1905. This appeared in a listing of English football results, which were presumably printed in a Canadian paper for the benefit of the many English immigrants:
"Wolverhampton Wanderers put paid to Bolton's account, the scores being: 2-0"
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