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shoe

n. · v.
US //ˈʃu// UK //ʃˈuː// shoe
  1. 1 footwear (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    one of a pair of coverings that you wear on your feet to protect them.

    an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot, typically ending below the ankle.

    Example

    He took off his muddy shoes before walking onto the clean carpet.

    Example

    The athlete selected a lightweight pair of shoes designed specifically for long-distance running on synthetic tracks.

    Usage

    usually used in the plural 'shoes' or as 'a pair of shoes'.
    Pitfall
    I need to buy a new shoe.
    I need to buy a new pair of shoes.

    Because we have two feet, we almost always talk about 'a pair of shoes' unless referring to a single physical object.

  2. 2 for a horse (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a U-shaped piece of metal nailed to a horse's hoof to protect it.

    a protective metal plate, typically U-shaped, attached to the hoof of a horse to prevent wear and injury.

    Example

    The blacksmith checked the horse's shoe to see if it was loose.

    Example

    The farrier arrived early to replace a thrown shoe before the morning's equestrian competition began.
    • horseshoes
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  1. 3 mechanical part (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Engineering

    a part of a machine, like a brake, that presses against another part to stop it.

    a part of a braking system or other mechanism that applies friction or provides a bearing surface.

    Example

    The mechanic told me that the brake shoes on my car were worn out.

    Example

    The engineer inspected the brake shoe for signs of uneven wear, which suggested a misalignment in the drum assembly.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a highly technical sense; learners will most likely encounter it in 'brake shoe' when discussing car repairs.
  2. 4 card dealer (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a box used in casinos to hold and deal several decks of cards.

    a gaming device used to hold multiple decks of playing cards, allowing for efficient dealing and reducing the frequency of shuffles.

    Example

    The dealer pulled a fresh card from the shoe at the blackjack table.

    Example

    To prevent card counting, the casino utilised a transparent shoe containing eight shuffled decks of cards.
    • dealing box
  3. 5 to fit with shoes (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to put shoes on a person or, more commonly, to put metal shoes on a horse.

    to furnish with shoes; specifically, the act of a farrier fitting a horse with horseshoes.

    Example

    The horse needs to be shod every six to eight weeks.

    Example

    The stable master insisted that all the carriage horses be shod with heavy-duty plates before the winter season.

    Usage

    The past tense and past participle is 'shod'.

    Teacher's tip

    In modern English, this verb is rarely used for humans; it almost exclusively refers to horses.
Origin

From Middle English scho, sho, from Old English sċōh (“shoe”), from Proto-West Germanic skōh, from Proto-Germanic skōhaz (“shoe”), of unclear etymology; possibly a derivation from skehaną (“to move quickly”), from Proto-Indo-European skek- (“to move quickly, jump”). Eclipsed non-native Middle English sabatine, sabatoun (“shoe”) from Medieval Latin sabatēnum, sabatum (“shoe, slipper”) (compare Old Occitan sabatō, Spanish zapato (“shoe”), French sabot (“wooden shoe, clog”), Italian ciabatta). The archaic plural shoon is from Middle English shon, from Old English scōn, scōum (“shoes”, dative plural) and scōna (“shoes'”, genitive plural); it is cognate with Scots shuin (“shoes”). See also Scots shae, West Frisian skoech, Low German Schoh, Dutch schoen, German Schuh, Bavarian Schuach, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish sko, Tocharian B skāk (“balcony”).

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