# nut

/ˈnət/ (US) · /nˈʌt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nut
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. edible seed

noun · CEFR A2

a dry fruit or seed with a hard shell that you can usually eat.

For teachers: a hard-shelled seed or fruit containing an edible kernel.

- She added some chopped nuts to the top of the chocolate cake.
- The recipe calls for toasted nuts to provide a textural contrast to the soft, creamy filling of the tart.

### 2. metal fastener

noun · CEFR B1

a small piece of metal with a hole in the middle that screws onto a bolt.

For teachers: a small metal block with a threaded hole, designed to be screwed onto a bolt to fasten parts together.

- He used a wrench to tighten the nut on the bicycle wheel.
- The mechanic discovered that a rusted nut was preventing the entire assembly from being dismantled for repair.

### 3. an enthusiast

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

someone who is very interested in or excited about a specific subject.

For teachers: an individual exhibiting intense enthusiasm or obsession regarding a particular activity or topic.

- My brother is a total car nut and spends every weekend at the track.
- As a self-proclaimed history nut, she spent her entire vacation touring the ancient ruins of the Mediterranean.

### 4. a crazy person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person who behaves in a strange or crazy way.

For teachers: a person perceived as eccentric, irrational, or mentally unstable.

- Some nut was shouting at the pigeons in the park this morning.
- The neighbors thought he was a bit of a nut for building a giant telescope in his backyard.

### 5. testicles

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

a slang word for testicles.

For teachers: a slang term referring to the testicles.

- The player accidentally got hit in the nuts during the game.
- The comedian's routine relied heavily on crude jokes involving various slang terms for the nuts.

### 6. part of a guitar

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the small piece at the top of a guitar neck that holds the strings.

For teachers: the ridge of hard material at the junction of the headstock and fretboard that supports the strings.

- The guitar strings were buzzing because the nut was worn down.
- Luthiers often prefer bone over plastic when carving a new nut to improve the instrument's resonance and sustain.

### 7. to headbutt

verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang

to hit someone using your head.

For teachers: to strike a person intentionally with the head.

- The two men started fighting and one tried to nut the other.
- The striker was sent off after he attempted to nut the defender during a heated argument on the pitch.

## Examples

- I like to snack on a handful of nuts every afternoon.
- The recipe calls for chopped walnuts, but you can use any kind of nut you prefer.
- While botanists define a true nut as having a hard shell that does not split, many culinary nuts like almonds and pistachios are technically seeds of drupes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.