Word
nutshell
Phoneticsnut·shell, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈnətˌʃɛɫ/
UK/nˈʌtʃɛl/
Definitions
01outer covering of a nut
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the hard outer shell that covers the seed or kernel of a nut.
n. the hard, protective outer layer of a nut.
Español:cáscara de nuez
“She cracked the nutshell to get to the walnut inside.”
“The forest floor was littered with broken nutshells, evidence of the squirrels' busy morning gathering food for the winter.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02a brief summary
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a very short and clear description of something, usually in the phrase 'in a nutshell'.
n. a concise summary or the essential points of a matter, typically appearing within the idiomatic prepositional phrase 'in a nutshell'.
“To put it in a nutshell, the company is losing money because of high costs.”
“The CEO provided the year's performance in a nutshell, focusing only on the critical decline in market share and the proposed recovery plan.”
Antonyms
03a small boat
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Nautical Literary
n. a very small boat, especially one that feels tiny compared to the big ocean.
n. a small, light vessel; often used to emphasize the boat's vulnerability or small size relative to the sea.
“Their tiny boat felt like a nutshell in the middle of the stormy Atlantic.”
“The fisherman's nutshell of a boat was tossed violently by the gale, appearing dangerously fragile against the towering grey swells.”
04to summarize
C2 · Proficiency Informal
v. to give a very short summary of a long story or a difficult idea.
v. to summarize or condense information into a brief form.
“Can you nutshell the main points of the meeting for me?”
“The editor asked the reporter to nutshell the complex legal ruling into a single paragraph for the morning edition.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“That, to me, is class in a nutshell: two people can work equally hard and take the same gamble but one has a much bigger margin for error.” “In a nutshell, it is the move from expert programmed systems, to systems that learn.” Etymology
From Middle English notschelle, from Old English hnutsċiell, from Proto-West Germanic *hnutskallju, equivalent to nut + shell. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Nuteskele, Nuteskil (“nutshell”), Dutch notenschaal (“nutshell”), German Nussschale (“nutshell”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. in a nutshell
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/nutshell
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0