put (one) in (one's) place
To humble or lower the dignity of one; to make one aware that they are not as important, respected, influential, etc., as they think. The teacher really put John in his place, scolding him so harshly that he burst into tears. I hope this guilty verdict puts that rat of a CEO in his place.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
put someone in his or her place
1. Rebuke someone, remind someone of his or her position, as in Alice is entirely too rude; it's time you put her in her place. The noun place here denotes one's rank or position. [Mid-1900s]
2. Also, put oneself in someone's place. Imagine being someone else, as in Just put yourself in my place-how would you deal with it? [Mid-1600s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.