shop

noun, often attributive \ ˈshäp \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of shop

1 : a handicraft establishment : atelier

2 a : a building or room stocked with merchandise for sale : store

b or less commonly shoppe play \ˈshäp\ : a small retail establishment or a department in a large one offering a specified line of goods or services

a millinery shop

a sandwich shop

3 : a commercial establishment for the making or repair of goods or machinery

machine shop

repair shop

4 a : a school laboratory equipped for industrial arts education

b : the art or science of working with tools and machinery

5 a : a business establishment : office

a public relations shop

b : shoptalk

talking shop

See shop defined for English-language learners

See shop defined for kids

Examples of shop in a Sentence

I took the car to the shop to get new brakes.
I am taking shop this semester.
I made a table in shop.
The wood shop is down the hall.

Recent Examples of shop from the Web

Remember in 2015 when the pop singer visited a California shop and proceeded to lick powdered doughnuts on display?

— cincinnati enquirer, Cincinnati.com, "Remember when Ariana Grande licked a doughnut?," 12 June 2018
In addition to being a full-service modern-day bike shop, Classic Cycle is a bicycle museum with an astounding collection spanning every era of cycling from the 19th century to the 21st.

— Outside Online, "Riding 100 Miles* on a 102-Year-Old Bike," 12 June 2018
During Jebens’ long history, the business had a tin-working shop that produced furnaces and church steeples, including the copper one atop Blue Island’s First Lutheran Church.

— mike nolan, Daily Southtown, "Nailing a sale? Owner of historic hardware store seeks buyer who will keep business running," 11 June 2018
Founded in 1968, Edwards Electrical and Mechanical began as a commercial shop based out of a garage.

— Indianapolis Star, "Edwards Electrical and Mechanical builds on its glowing reputation," 11 June 2018
Various tour experiences begin at the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center, which features a spiffy gift shop.

— joy wallace dickinson, OrlandoSentinel.com, "At 151, architect still has the Wright stuff," 10 June 2018
Now those are bow in a China shop ideas at the G7 in Canada and something may get broken folks or maybe not.

— Fox News, "Former Senate aide James Wolfe arrested for lying to FBI," 9 June 2018
The association previously had concerns about plans to reopen the store a couple years ago when Eulberg and Pack were working with investors from Chicago to turn the store into a full pawn shop.

— stephanie morse, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stein's Jewelers to reopen on downtown Milwaukee's west side," 8 June 2018
Now, floor-to-ceiling windows have replaced those rows of produce, offering unobstructed views into a new Sightglass Coffee shop.

— justin phillips, San Francisco Chronicle, "Divisadero has become SF’s most prolific new restaurant neighborhood," 8 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shop.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of shop

Middle English shoppe, from Old English sceoppa booth; akin to Old High German scopf shed

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

shop Synonyms

Synonyms

argot, cant, dialect, jargon, jive, language, lingo, patois, patter, shoptalk, slang, terminology, vocabulary;

journalese;

shop

verb

Definition of shop

shopped; shopping

intransitive verb

1 a : to examine goods or services with intent to buy

b : to hunt through a market in search of the best buy

2 : to make a search : hunt

shopping around for a better idea

transitive verb

1 British : to inform on : betray

2 : to examine the stock or offerings of

shop the stores for Christmas gift ideas

3 : to offer for consideration or acceptance; especially : to offer for sale or in a trade —often used with around

shopping the manuscript around

See shop defined for English-language learners

Examples of shop in a Sentence

Where do you like to shop?
I like to shop at locally owned stores.
She is shopping for a new car.
Many people now shop online.
She's shopping her idea for a film.
His own mother shopped him to the police.

Recent Examples of shop from the Web

Looking to give Dad a stellar Father's Day gift, but not quite sure where to start shopping?

— banu ibrahim, CNN Underscored, "The ultimate Father's Day guide: The top deals and gifts to shop right now," 13 June 2018
The move comes at a time when mass retailers are competing with the typical beauty giants to make drugstore beauty easier to shop and more accessible than ever.

— rachel nussbaum, Glamour, "CVS Will Soon Offer Makeup Samples and Free Products," 11 June 2018
Those looking to shop will find photography, furniture, jewelry and more.

— hayley harding, Courant Community, "Here's Everything You Need To Know For Celebrate! West Hartford This Weekend," 6 June 2018
Ashanae Davis went into Target to shop, and endured a frightening and humiliating experience before she was allowed to leave, the woman said.

— crystal hill, miamiherald, "Target security guard said woman stole a bikini. Workers made her lift up her shirt, lawyer says," 5 June 2018
All of the products are available to shop as of June 4 at ASOS, and clock in at under $40.

— karina hoshikawa, Teen Vogue, "Crayola Launches 58-Piece Makeup Collection at ASOS," 4 June 2018
So people will soon be able to shop the Reading Terminal Market, but never actually go there?

— craig laban, Philly.com, "Reading Terminal manager Anuj Gupta taking the market into the future," 24 May 2018
This might not be the end of the show, however: Alcon Television Group, the studio behind the series, plans to shop it around to other outlets.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "The Expanse’s third season will be its last on the Syfy channel," 11 May 2018
Enid was an avid gardener, a political junkie and an elegant fashionista who loved to shop, travel, cook and entertain.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Enid C. Fisher," 9 May 2018

First Known Use of shop

1806

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SHOP Defined for English Language Learners

shop

noun

Definition of shop for English Language Learners

: a building or room where goods and services are sold
: the place where a specified kind of worker works : a worker's place of business
: a place for making or repairing goods, machinery, vehicles, etc.

shop

verb

Definition of shop for English Language Learners

: to visit places where goods are sold in order to look at and buy things
: to try to get a company to publish or produce (something)
: to give information about the secret or criminal activity of (someone) to an authority (such as the police)