shop

1 of 2

noun

ˈshäp 

often attributive

1

: a handicraft establishment : atelier

2

a

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

b

or less commonly shoppe

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

shop

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonyms

Noun

• bazaar
• emporium
• store

Verb

• cast about (for)
• cast around (for)
• chase (down)
• forage (for)
• hunt
• look up
• pursue
• quest
• search (for or out)
• seek

Examples of shop in a Sentence

Noun

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.

Verb

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 on the Web

Noun

Photo: Daniel Murray/Courtesy of Hula Vintage Hula Boutique and Hula Warehouse Opened in 2017, Hula is an online designer consignment shop with two locations in Hong Kong (one dubbed the Boutique, the other the Warehouse). —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2024

Leases for the marina shops and other facilities will provide about $1.9 million and the rest is from fees charged for parking and to be on the slip rental wait list, inspections and other services. —Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1806, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Phrases Containing shop

• a bull in a china shop
• agency shop
• all over the shop
• beauty shop
• betting shop
• body shop
• bucket shop
• charity shop
• chemist's shop
• chip shop
• chop shop
• closed shop
• close up shop
• coffee shop
• comparison shop
• cop shop
• gift shop
• head shop
• machine shop
• mind the shop
• open shop
• pro shop
• set up shop
• sex shop
• shop around
• shop-bought
• shop floor
• shop front
• shop-soiled
• shop steward
• shop the store
• shop the stores
• shut up shop
• souvenir shop
• specialist shop
• specialty shop
• speed shop
• talking shop
• talk shop
• tea shop
• thrift shop
• union shop
• window-shop

Kids Definition

shop

1 of 2 noun

ˈshäp 

1

: a place of business : office

2

a

: a building or room where goods are sold retail

b

also shoppe

ˈshäp 

: a small store offering a specialized line of goods

a gift shop

3

: a place where workers are doing a particular kind of work especially with machinery

a print shop

4

a

: a school laboratory equipped for industrial arts education

b

: industrial arts

take shop as a freshman

metal shop

5

: shoptalk

talk shop

shop

2 of 2 verb

shopped; shopping

1

: to visit shops for the purpose of looking over and buying goods

2

: to look for the best buy

shop around for a new car

shopper noun

Legal Definition

shop

noun

: a business establishment : a place of employment see also closed shop, open shop, union shop