Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Putty for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Putty" — noun, pronounced /ˈpʌti/, with the stress on "put".
Narrator: Putty is a soft paste that becomes hard when dry, used to fix glass in windows or fill holes.
Narrator: In plain English, it is a squishy filler that hardens.
Narrator: It comes from the French potée, a potful.
Narrator: A common collocation is "window putty", which describes the paste holding the glass.
Narrator: It differs from "glue", because glue sticks things together, while putty fills and seals gaps.
Narrator: In a second sense, "putty in someone's hands" means easily controlled by them.
Narrator: Building, decorating, crafts and romance novels all rely on the word.
Narrator: So remember: putty is soft now, hard later, and easy to shape.
Speaker A: Why is the window rattling?
Speaker B: The PUTTY has cracked! It comes from French potée.
Speaker A: Can we fix it?
Speaker B: Yes, scrape it out and re-putty.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "Fill the nail holes with putty", a DIY step. "The putty took a day to dry", a timing note. "He's putty in her hands", an idiom.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Spell it with double "t", and use "putty knife" for the tool.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Filler is its cousin, sealant its twin, and caulk an alternative — yet putty keeps its pliable charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "putty" in AI prompts — useful for DIY apps and product listings.
Speaker A: How for DIY?
Speaker B: Clear steps.
Prompt: Write step-by-step instructions to replace old putty on a wooden window.
Speaker A: And listings?
Speaker B: Describe products.
Prompt: Write a product description for a quick-drying wood putty in three colours.
Speaker A: Could it help toys?
Speaker B: Yes, for safety.
Prompt: Write safety notes for a children’s thinking putty toy.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: A home maintenance bot.
Prompt: Ask three questions to decide whether a gap needs putty, filler or sealant.
Putty — meaning in Arabic & definition More P courses GL Dictionary