shut

1 of 3

verb

ˈshət 

shut; shutting

transitive verb

1

a

: to move into position to close an opening

shut the lid

b

: to prevent entrance to or passage to or from

2

: to confine by or as if by enclosure

shut herself in her study

3

: to fasten with a lock or bolt

4

: to close by bringing enclosing or covering parts together

shut the eyes

5

: to cause to cease or suspend an operation or activity

—often used with down

intransitive verb

1

: to close itself or become closed

flowers that shut at night

2

: to cease or suspend an operation or activity

—often used with down

shut

2 of 3

adjective

1

: closed, fastened, or folded together

2

: rid, clear, free

—usually used with of

shut

3 of 3

noun

: the act of shutting

Synonyms

Verb

• close
• make [chiefly dialect]
• steek [chiefly Scottish]

Adjective

• disencumbered
• free
• quit
• unburdened

Examples of shut in a Sentence

Verb

He shut his eyes and went to sleep.

She shut the book loudly.

I accidentally shut the door on her fingers.

flowers that shut at night

The door shut slowly behind me.

The owner is shutting the pub for the weekend.

They plan to shut the factory by the end of the year.

Adjective

She listened to the music with her eyes shut.

Check to make sure that all the windows are shut.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Yellowstone just aired its season 5B finale, which may have shut the barn door on that flagship series (though spinoffs are in the works). —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Dec. 2024

In the book, Lee and Allerton get close to finding the ayahuasca, but that door is quickly shut. —Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 18 Dec. 2024

Adjective

The filing also repeats allegations prison advocates have made before, including that the windows to Broadway’s cell were nailed shut and a nearby fan was padlocked. —Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 14 Nov. 2024

Some unrelated damage happens inside as well: On a keel while sailing, a bunch of liquor bottles and plates roll and break because a cabinet won’t stay shut. —Emma Soren, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024

Noun

Only then did the Don slam the negotiation window shut. —Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024

One eyelid is swollen shut and is accompanied by a fever. —Andrew Greenberg, Verywell Health, 12 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English shetten, shutten, from Old English scyttan; akin to Middle Dutch schutten to shut in, Old English scēotan to shoot — more at shoot

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing shut

• keep one's mouth shut
• keep one's trap shut
• open-and-shut
• put up or shut up
• shut away
• shut down
• shut-eye
• shut in
• shut off
• shut off from
• shut one's face
• shut one's mouth
• shut out
• shut up
• shut up shop
• shut your pie hole
• squeeze one's eyes shut
• with one's eyes shut/closed

Kids Definition

shut

verb

ˈshət

shut; shutting

1

: to move into position so as to close an opening

shut the door

2

: to close so as to forbid entrance or leaving

shut the cottage for the winter

3

: to keep in a place by enclosing or by blocking the way out : imprison

shut them in jail

4

: to close by bringing parts together

shut your eyes

5

: to stop or cause to stop operation

shut both stores for a week

the plant shut down