put paid to

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put paid to (third-person singular simple present puts paid to, present participle putting paid to, simple past and past participle put paid to)

1. (chiefly Britain, dated) To mark a bill or a debt record as "paid".
   • 1893 December, Mrs. Alexander, “Found Wanting”, in Belgravia‎, volume 82, page 353:

     Well, then, I'll put paid to that little account.

     books

2. (chiefly Britain, idiomatic) To terminate; to cancel (plans or expectations); to stop something once and for all.

   The rain put paid to our plans for a picnic.

3. To demonstrate as completely false.

   The young man standing outside the door, shaking like a leaf, looking like he was about to pee himself, put paid to his claim in a quavering voice, "I am not afraid!"

• put a stop to, put an end to, finish off