Put Paid To




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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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