ʃʌt v. (shutting;
past and past
part. shut) 1 tr. a
move (a
door,
window,
lid, lips, etc.)
into position so as to
block an
aperture (shut
the lid). b close or seal (a
room, window, box,
eye,
mouth, etc.) by
moving a door etc. (shut the box). 2 intr.
become or be
capable of
being closed or sealed (the door shut
with a
bang; the lid shuts automatically). 3 intr. & tr. become or
make (a
shop,
business, etc.) closed
for trade (the shops shut at
five; shuts
his shop at five). 4 tr.
bring (a
book,
hand,
telescope, etc.) into a folded-up or contracted
state. 5 tr. (usu. foll. by
in, out)
keep (a
person,
sound, etc.) in or
out of a room etc. by shutting a door etc. (shut out the
noise; shut
them in). 6 tr. (usu. foll. by in)
catch (a
finger,
dress, etc.) by shutting
something on it (shut
her finger in the door). 7 tr. bar
access to (a
place etc.) (this entrance is shut). øbe (or get) shut of sl. be (or get)
rid of (were glad to
get shut of him). shut the door on refuse to
consider; make
impossible. shut down 1
stop (a
factory,
nuclear reactor, etc.)
from operating. 2 (of a factory etc.) stop operating. 3
push or
pull (a window-sash etc.) down into a closed position. shut-down n. the
closure of a factory etc. shut-eye colloq.
sleep. shut one's eyes (or ears or
heart or mind) to
pretend not, or refuse, to see (or
hear or
feel sympathy for or
think about). shut in (of hills, houses, etc.)
encircle,
prevent access etc. to or
escape from (were shut in by the
sea on
three sides) (see
also sense 5). shut
off 1 stop the
flow of (water,
gas, etc.) by shutting a
valve. 2
separate from
society etc. shut-off n. 1 something used for
stopping an
operation. 2 a
cessation of flow, supply, or
activity. shut out 1
exclude (a person,
light, etc.) from a place,
situation, etc. 2
screen (landscape etc.) from
view. 3 prevent (a
possibility etc.). 4 block (a
painful memory etc.) from the
mind. 5 US prevent (an opponent) from scoring (see also sense 5). shut-out
bid Bridge a
pre-emptive bid. shut to 1 close (a door etc.). 2 (of a door etc.) close as
far as it will go. shut up 1 close
all doors and windows of (a
house etc.); bolt and bar. 2
imprison (a person). 3 close (a box etc.) securely. 4 colloq.
reduce to
silence by
rebuke etc. 5 put (a thing)
away in a box etc. 6 (esp. in imper.) colloq. stop
talking. shut up shop 1 close a business, shop, etc. 2
cease business etc. permanently. shut
your face (or
head or mouth or trap)! sl. an
impolite request to stop talking. [OE scyttan f. WG:
cf. SHOOT]
