put to it, be

Be confronted with a severe difficulty, as in I was put to it to finish this book on time. This usage is derived from the active sense of put to it, that is, “force or challenge someone to something.” [c. 1600]

Words nearby put to it, be

put through the wringer, put to bed, put to death, put to flight, put to good use, put to it, be, put to rights, put to sea, put to shame, put to sleep, put to the test