Definition of shut
shut
;shutting
transitive verb
1a : to move into position to close an opening shut the lidb : 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
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Examples of shut in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples of shut from the Web
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Opposing guardsmen curtly shake hands, and the border gates roll shut for the night.
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Critics called him a con man, described his church as a cult, and said his simple-minded approach shut off genuine thinking or insight.
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And Seth Meyers’s Late Night was also shut out of the Variety Talk category, though the show did receive a writing nod.
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With both Late Night and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon off the list, NBC got shut out, which could be pointed, or could just be a coincidence.
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The left, eastbound lane and the two westbound lanes closest to the center divider were shut down.
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But it was also ordered to stop supporting the Brotherhood, which Western countries don’t classify as terrorist; to shut down the Brotherhood-friendly broadcaster Al Jazeera; and to kick Turkish troops out of their new base in Qatar.
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The plant shut down in 2015 and Independence has continued to own it since, spending about $32,000 a year to maintain the property.
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Elected as the local’s vice president in 1985, just before the union went on strike, Jones at one point could command workers to shut down their machines if labor issues weren’t resolved.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of shut
Middle English shetten, shutten, from Old English scyttan; akin to Middle Dutch schutten to shut in, Old English scēotan to shoot — more at shoot
shut
Definition of shut
Examples of shut in a Sentence
She listened to the music with her eyes shut.
Check to make sure that all the windows are shut.
Recent Examples of shut from the Web
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But even if everything James Comey says is true, is an obstruction case open and shut?
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The bond market closed at 2 p.m. and will remain shut Monday in observance of Memorial Day.
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Was anyone on the team able to catch some shut eye Sunday night?
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Schools in New Caledonia were closed for a public holiday on Monday and would stay shut on Tuesday, Reuters said.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of shut
15th century
Recent Examples of shut from the Web
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Closed to the public in 1991 after extensive flood damage brought on by heavy rains, Klingle Road NW, which runs east-west across Connecticut Avenue, remained shut for years because the city didn’t have the money to repair it.
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Jelks drove even faster, which caused the door to slide shut, the affidavit said.
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Those windows may have slammed shut for those squads.
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The animal had to have its jaw wired shut, Muller said.
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Brian Scott Webb’s jail photo shows his right eye swollen shut, lacerations on his forehead and bruises under his left cheek.
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The prison has been closed since 2002, when its gates were welded shut.
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This shut-up-and-take-it attitude has has been set into Chicago's DNA.
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Amandla Stenberg stars as a 17-year-old shut-in with a rare disease who falls in love with her neighbor, corresponding by email.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of shut
1667
SHUT Defined for English Language Learners
shut
playDefinition of shut for English Language Learners
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: to close (something)
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: to become closed
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: to stop the services or activities of (a business, school, etc.) for a period of time or forever
shut
Definition of shut for English Language Learners
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: not open
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: not operating or open to the public
SHUT Defined for Kids
shut
playDefinition of shut for Students
shut
;shutting
1 : to close or become closed She shut the book loudly. The door shuts by itself.
2 : to stop or cause to stop operation She shut down the computer. Shut off the TV.
3 : to confine by or as if by enclosing or by blocking the way out Guards shut the thieves in a jail cell.
4 : to close by bringing parts together Don't look! Shut your eyes!
shut out
1 : to keep (something) from entering Curtains shut out the sun.
2 : to keep (an opponent) from scoring in a game
shut up
: to stop talking
Learn More about shut
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See words that rhyme with shut Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shut Spanish Central: Translation of shut Nglish: Translation of shut for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shut for Arabic speakers
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