Put down amateur (3)
I believe the answer is:
lay
I believe this clue is a double definition.
'put down' is the first definition.
(laying is a kind of putting down)
'amateur' is the second definition.
('lay' can be similar in meaning to 'amateur')
(Other definitions for lay that I've seen before include "Was lying" , "Arrange" , "located" , "Deposit < , as a nest egg, was" , "Song-ballad" .)