informal, informal

to make an emotion or experience seem more important or serious than it really is.

He'd injured his hand slightly but he was laying it on a bit thick about how painful it was.

They must have told us ten times how wonderful their daughter was - they were really laying it on with a trowel.

• put someone out of action
• put someone out of its misery
• put someone out of mind
• put someone out of misery
• put someone out of their misery
• put someone out of your mind
• put someone out to pasture
• put someone over knee
• put someone over the top
• put someone over your knee
• put someone's back up
• put someone's mind at ease
• put someone's mind at rest
• put someone's nose out of joint
• put someone through
• put someone through hell
• put someone through hoops
• put someone through paces
• put someone through something
• put someone through their paces
• put someone through the mill
• put someone through the wringer
• put someone to death
• put someone to shame
• put someone to sleep