What does "shut" mean?

1. (to close) to move a door, window, or lid so that an opening is covered. 2. (to stop operating) to stop a business or shop from being open for the day or forever. 3. (to trap or catch) to catch a part of your body in something while it is closing. 4. (not open) in a position that is not open. 5. (narrow passage) a very narrow path or alleyway between buildings.

shut — meaning, definition & examples

Word

Infinitive

shut

Past

shut

Past participle

shut

01to close

A2 · Elementary

v. to move a door, window, or lid so that an opening is covered.

v. to move a barrier into a position that closes an opening. Often used interchangeably with 'close', though 'shut' can imply more force or finality.

“Please shut the door behind you so the cat doesn't get out.”

“The heavy oak doors shut with a resounding thud, echoing through the empty stone hallway of the manor.”

Synonyms

close seal fasten

Antonyms

open

02to stop operating

B1 · Intermediate

v. to stop a business or shop from being open for the day or forever.

v. to cease the operations of a business or institution, either temporarily for the day or permanently.

“The local grocery store shuts at nine o'clock on Sundays.”

“After decades of declining sales, the textile mill finally shut its doors, leaving hundreds of local workers without employment.”

Synonyms

close cease lock up

Antonyms

open launch

03to trap or catch

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to catch a part of your body in something while it is closing.

v. to catch or snag an object or body part in the process of closing a barrier.

“I accidentally shut my finger in the car door and it really hurt.”

“He let out a sharp cry of pain after he shut his coat sleeve in the locker, pinning him to the spot.”

Synonyms

trap catch pinch

04not open

A2 · Elementary

adj. in a position that is not open.

adj. being in a closed state. Typically used as a predicative adjective after a verb like 'be' or 'keep'.

“Keep your eyes shut until I tell you to open them.”

“The windows remained shut throughout the storm to prevent the driving rain from damaging the interior upholstery.”

Synonyms

closed fastened

Antonyms

open

05narrow passage

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun British English · Dialect

n. a very narrow path or alleyway between buildings.

n. a narrow alley or pedestrian passage, specifically one that runs through or between buildings.

“We took a shortcut through a dark shut to reach the main square.”

“The town's medieval layout is famous for its network of narrow shuts, which provided residents with quick passage between the parallel streets.”

Usage

This sense is highly localized to specific regions of the West Midlands in England.

Synonyms

alley passage lane

From Middle English schitten, schetten, from Old English scyttan (“to cause rapid movement, shoot a bolt, shut, bolt”), from Proto-Germanic skutjaną, skuttijaną (“to bar, bolt”), from Proto-Germanic skuttą, skuttjō (“bar, bolt, shed”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewd- (“to drive, fall upon, rush”). The Modern English word was originally a dialect form; the Old English word would have normally merged with shit. Cognate with Dutch schutten (“to shut in, lock up”), Low German schütten (“to shut, lock in”), German schützen (“to shut out, dam, protect, guard”).