Main Entry:

¹nut

Pronunciation:

\ˈnət\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English nute, note, from Old English hnutu; akin to Old High German nuz nut and perhaps to Latin nux nut

Date:

before 12th century

1 a (1): a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel (2): the kernel of a nut b: a dry indehiscent one-seeded fruit with a woody pericarp2 a: a hard problem or undertaking b: core, heart3: a perforated block usually of metal that has an internal screw thread and is used on a bolt or screw for tightening or holding something4: the ridge in a stringed instrument (as a violin) over which the strings pass on the upper end of the fingerboard5: a small lump (as of butter)6 a: a foolish, eccentric, or crazy person b: enthusiast <a movie nut>7plural : nonsense —often used interjectionally8slang : a person's head9usually vulgar : testis10: the amount of money that must be earned in order to break even11: en 1

— nut·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective