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The following context is from the movie "The Wolf Of Wallstreet" by Martin Scorsese

JORDAN My job, you know, it's tough. I mean I'm not complaining, it's just the stress. All these people depending on me. Millions of dollars at stake every day. I sometimes feel I've bitten off more than I can chew.

AUNT EMMA You're a man with large appetites.

Jordan looks at her and smiles:

JORDAN (thinking) Is she fu*%#ng hitting on me?

JORDAN I agree. I put it on myself. It's hard to control the anxiety, you know? It's hard to learn to relax.

One of the synonyms for the word "put" is "impose" (to force someone to accept something, especially a belief or way of living{source Camb dic})

Does this mean that he "imposed it on himself"?

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  • If you're heard it correctly, then yes, that is the meaning. Are you sure he didn't say I took it on myself?
    – Colin Fine
    Commented Mar 2, 2022 at 12:23
  • I'm sure. The text is copied from the script anyway.
    – Static Bounce
    Commented Mar 2, 2022 at 20:01

2 Answers 2

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put something on someone= to cause something to affect someone

Jordan put it on himself. (... caused it to affect...)

I put a lot of stress on myself.

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  • 1
    Hmm, I can't find the definition in a dictionary though. Can anyone provide a link?
    – Static Bounce
    Commented Mar 2, 2022 at 20:02
  • @StaticBounce - It is colloquial and an uncommon usage. The more common expression is, I brought it on/upon myself or I put it on someone else. I put the blame on Jim and as a result, brought ruin upon myself.
    – EllieK
    Commented Aug 4, 2022 at 12:24
  • It's listed as meaning 3 in Longman's
    – Stuart F
    Commented Aug 4, 2022 at 14:06
  • @EllieK I revisited the post on rewatching the movie and I realized that I still exactly don't know what this means. Is "put" in "I put the blame on him" the same as in "I put this burden on myself"? My definition from 2022 below would fit both of these contexts nicely.
    – Static Bounce
    Commented Mar 2 at 8:57
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I found this definition in the Google dic. I think it fits this context. Can anyone confirm?

put on cause someone or something to be subject to something unwelcome or unpleasant. "commentators put some of the blame on Congress"

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