place

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
place/pleɪs/

▶noun

• 1 a particular position or point in space; a location.

  ■ informal a person's home.

  ■ a point in a book reached by a reader at a particular time.

• 2 a portion of space available or designated for someone.

  ■ a vacancy or available position: a place at university.

  ■ the regular or proper position of something: lay each slab in place.

• 3 a position in a sequence or hierarchy.

  ■ a person's rank or status.

  ■ a specific role or position: it's not my place to ask.

  ■ Brit. any of the first three or sometimes four positions in a race.

  ■ N. Amer. the second position, especially in a horse race.

• 4 the position of a figure in a series indicated in decimal notation: calculate the ratios to one decimal place.

• 5 [in place names] a square or short street.

▶verb

• 1 put in a particular position.

• 2 find an appropriate place or role for.

  ■ arrange for the implementation of (an order, bet, etc.).

  ■ order or obtain a connection for (a telephone call).

  ■ dispose of (something, especially shares) by selling.

• 3 allocate or award a specified position in a sequence or hierarchy.

  ■ (be placed) Brit. achieve a specified position in a race.

  ■ be among the first three or four in a race (or the first three in the US).

• 4 remember the relevant background of: she eventually said she couldn't place him.

• 5 Rugby & American Football score (a goal) by a place kick.

– phrases
give place to be succeeded or replaced by.
go places informal

• 1 travel.

• 2 be increasingly successful.

in one's place in one's appropriate (but inferior) position or status.
in place

• 1 working or ready to work; established.

• 2 N. Amer. on the spot; not travelling any distance.

in place of instead of.
out of place not in the proper position.

■ in a setting where one is or feels inappropriate or incongruous.

put oneself in another's place consider a situation from another's point of view.
put someone in their place deflate or humiliate someone regarded as being presumptuous.
take place occur.
take one's place take up one's usual or recognized position.
take the place of replace.

– derivatives
placeless adjective.

– origin ME: from OFr., from an alt. of L. platea ‘open space’, from Gk plateia (hodos) ‘broad (way)’.