Link Centre Dictionary

shut

UK/ʃʌt/ US/ʃʊt/ very common uk
verb (3) adjective (2)

verb

1.

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut

  • “Close the door”
  • “shut the window”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

become closed

  • “The windows closed with a loud bang”
Synonyms
Antonyms
3.

prevent from entering; shut out

  • “The trees were shutting out all sunlight”
  • “This policy excludes people who have a criminal record from entering the country”
Synonyms
Antonyms

adjective

1.

not open

  • “the door slammed shut”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

used especially of mouth or eyes

  • “he sat quietly with closed eyes”
  • “his eyes were shut against the sunlight”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Similar

Origin

From Middle English schitten, schetten, from Old English scyttan (“to cause rapid movement, shoot a bolt, shut, bolt”), from Proto-Germanic *skutjaną, *skuttijaną (“to bar, bolt”), from Proto-Germanic *skuttą, *skuttjō (“bar, bolt, shed”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewd- (“to drive, fall upon, rush”). The Modern English word was originally a dialect form; the Old English word would have normally merged with shit. Cognate with Dutch schutten (“to shut in, lock up”), Low German schütten (“to shut, lock in”), German schützen (“to shut out, dam, protect, guard”).

Phrases

  • cold shut
  • every shut eye isn't asleep
  • keep one's mouth shut
  • open and shut
  • open and shut case
  • shut away phrasal verbs derived from shut
  • shut down phrasal verbs derived from shut
  • shut in phrasal verbs derived from shut
  • shut it multiword terms derived from shut
  • shut of phrasal verbs derived from shut
  • shut off phrasal verbs derived from shut
  • shut out phrasal verbs derived from shut

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

Related verbs

Causes

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.