# shuttle

/ˈʃətəɫ/ (US) · /ʃˈʌtəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shuttle
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. transport service

noun · CEFR B1

a bus, train, or plane that travels regularly back and forth between two specific places.

For teachers: a transport service or vehicle that makes frequent trips between two or more fixed points.

- The hotel provides a free shuttle to the airport every thirty minutes.
- The university operates a frequent shuttle between the main campus and the research facility to accommodate students with split schedules.

Usage: often used as a compound noun like 'shuttle bus' or 'airport shuttle'

### 2. spacecraft

noun · CEFR B2

a spacecraft designed to travel into space and return to Earth multiple times.

For teachers: a reusable spacecraft designed to transport people and cargo between Earth and space.

- The space shuttle landed safely after its mission to the space station.
- The retirement of the space shuttle fleet marked the end of an era in reusable orbital vehicle technology.

### 3. weaving tool

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a tool used in weaving to carry thread back and forth across a loom.

For teachers: a device used in weaving for passing the thread of the weft between the threads of the warp.

- The weaver moved the wooden shuttle quickly through the threads of the loom.
- Traditional hand-weaving requires significant dexterity to catch the shuttle as it emerges from the shed of the warp threads.

### 4. badminton

noun · CEFR B2

another name for a shuttlecock, the object hit in badminton.

For teachers: a synonym for shuttlecock; the feathered or plastic projectile used in the game of badminton.

- The wind was so strong that it was hard to hit the shuttle over the net.
- The player replaced the damaged shuttle after the feathers became ruffled during a particularly intense rally.

### 5. to travel back and forth

verb · CEFR B2

to travel or move someone back and forth between two places.

For teachers: to travel or transport people or goods frequently between two locations.

- The van shuttles guests from the train station to the mountain resort.
- The diplomat spent the entire week shuttling between the two capitals in a desperate attempt to broker a peace agreement.

Usage: can be used transitively with an object or intransitively

## Examples

- The hotel provides a free shuttle to the airport.
- A dedicated shuttle runs every fifteen minutes between the main train station and the university campus.
- While the city expanded its subway lines, the local government maintained the bus shuttle to bridge the gap between the residential district and the new industrial park.

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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.