Igor
put much past him how would you explain this sentence? I wouldn’t put much past him.Here is some additions to extend context, I guess Garrywas closer regarding "a negative way" but Ruthi gave the other way how to understant and apply this phrase. I wouldn’t put much past him—accepting bribes, for one. He’s just never been caught.It was the exact sentence from "The Good Girl - Mary Kubica" at list in my copy of the book. Lets make it wider in terms of context. She tells me how her father’s career is high-profile. I know this. “People know him,” she says. “All this goes to his big head. My father’s never-ending desire for more money has made him corrupt. I wouldn’t put much past him—accepting bribes, for one. He’s just never been caught.
Sep 4, 2015 7:25 AM
Answers · 4
2
Are you sure that you have copied out the quotation EXACTLY as you heard or read it? The sentence you have given us resembles a number of idiomatic expressions, such as 'I wouldn't put it past him' (meaning that you wouldn't be surprised if he did such a thing) or 'You can't put much past him'. (meaning it's difficult to fool him)'. However, the exact sentence you have given us doesn't really make sense, which is why we native speakers are struggling to give you an explanation. Can you check that you've got it right? Remember that idiomatic language is a very precise thing - if you get one word out of place, a phrase can lose its meaning entirely.
September 4, 2015
1
I disagree with Gary.Where I come from the expression means"you cannot trick him" or "He will not miss anything you try to do". For example "That teacher is really tough. I wouldn't put much past him". But usually it would be used a bit differently: "You can't put much past him" So maybe you got the quotation incorrect. Please can you give me a context and then I will know if this is the correct meaning or not. With no context it is hard to know.
September 4, 2015
1
I would read that as 'There is not much he would not do'. It is usually meant in a negative way, to mean that he has bad morals, and would do some very bad things, if he wanted to.
September 4, 2015
Now that you have put in the additional information and given the context, it is clear that Gary's interpretation is the one which the author intended. But it's also worth noting that the use of 'much' here is very unusual. When I googled it I found only one example, among hundreds of thousands of the usual phrase 'I wouldn't put IT past him'. As the author is a native speaker, I wouldn't go so far as to say she is wrong, but what she wrote is certainly non-standard.
September 4, 2015
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!