nut

NUT/nʌt/

Pluralnuts

25 meanings of nut

1
seed you eatnouncountable
A seed or fruit with a hard shell and a part inside you can often eat.
Like a little seed locked inside a hard shell you have to crack open.
He cracked the nut open with a small hammer.
We bought a bag of mixed nuts for the trip.
Note
2
bolt fittingnouncountable
A small metal block with a threaded hole that screws onto a bolt to hold things together.
Like a cap that twists onto the end of a bolt to keep it from slipping off.
He tightened the nut onto the bolt with a wrench.
The nuts on the wheel had come loose.
UsageSay tighten or loosen a nut.
Note
3
crazy personnounslangcountable
A person who acts in a wild or crazy way.
Your brother is a real nut. He jumped in the lake in winter!
Only a nut would drive that fast in the rain.
UsageSay a bit of a nut only in fun; it can hurt.
Similarlunatic, loony, psycho, nutcase, nutter
Note
4
enthusiastnouncolloquialcountable
A person who really, really loves one thing or hobby.
Like a fan who can't stop talking about their favorite team.
My uncle is a total car nut and spends every weekend in the garage.
She's a real fitness nut who runs before dawn.
UsageSay a car nut or a coffee nut.
Similarbuff, fanatic, enthusiast, freak
5
testiclesnounslangvulgarcountable
A rude word for a man's testicle, often used in the plural.
He said one nut still hurt a week after the soccer ball hit him.
He took a soccer ball to the nuts during the match.
UsageIn polite or medical talk, say testicles.
Similarball, bollock
6
guitar partnouncountable
On a guitar or violin, the small part at the top of the neck that holds the strings spaced apart.
Like a tiny ridge that keeps each string spaced out in its own spot.
The guitar's nut had a crack, so the strings buzzed.
A new bone nut made the guitar sound clearer.
Note

Less common meanings

7
headnounslangcountable
A slang word for a person's head.
He banged his nut on the low doorway.
Put a hat on your nut before you go out in the cold.
Similarhead, noggin, noodle
Note
8
come (sex)verbslangmildly vulgarintransitive
To reach a sexual climax, or come.
He nutted and rolled over to sleep.
Try not to nut too quickly.
Similarcome, cum, ejaculate, cream, jizz
Note
9
nounslangvulgarcountable
Rude slang for an orgasm, or the semen that comes out.
That was a powerful nut.
After he busted a nut, he rolled over and fell asleep.
Note
10
monthly costsnounslangUScountable
Slang for the money a business needs to start or to keep running.
Like the rent and bills you have to pay every month no matter what.
Their nut each month was almost too high to cover.
Once sales dropped, they couldn't make the nut.
Similaroverhead, costs, expenses
Note
11
thrashverbslangtransitive
To beat someone very badly in a game or fight.
Our team nutted them four to nothing.
They will nut us if we don't practice.
Similarthrash, crush, trounce, hammer
12
verbslangtransitive
To hit someone hard in the testicles.
A wild kick nutted him, and he dropped to the grass holding his groin.
Watch the ball or it'll nut you.
Note
13
best handnouncountablebefore a noun
In poker, the best possible hand of one kind, such as the best flush that can be made.
Like holding the highest card, so no one else can win.
Her ace of spades gave her the nut flush, so she bet everything.
When the last card came, he had the nut straight.
Note
14
climbing gearnouncountable
A piece of metal on a wire loop that climbers wedge into a crack in the rock to stay safe.
Like wedging a doorstop tightly into a gap so it won't slip out.
She slotted a nut into a thin crack before climbing higher.
If you fall, a well-placed nut can stop you.
Similarchock
Note
15
hit with headverbslangUKtransitive
To hit someone hard with your head on purpose.
Like using your head as a hammer to hit someone.
He nutted the other guy outside the pub.
She threatened to nut anyone who shoved her.
Similarbutt
Note
16
gatherverbintransitive
To go out and collect nuts from trees or the ground.
Like picking apples, only you gather nuts instead.
On Saturday we went nutting in the woods and filled two bags.
Every fall we went nutting in the woods behind our farm.
Note
17
nointerjectiondialectalScotland
Used to say no, often in a casual way.
Nut! I'm not doing that.
"Want to come along?" "Nut, I'm staying home."
Similarno
Oppositeyes
Note
18
nounarchaic
The rounded tip at the end of the penis or clitoris.
In persons troubled with tight foreskins, the matter from the urethra becomes collected between the foreskin and the nut of the penis.
1864, Edward Cox, Cox's Companion to the Sea Medicine ChestHere, nut means the rounded tip at the end of the penis.
GLANS, in anatomy, the anterior extremity of the penis, called by other different names, as the head of the penis, the nut of the penis, and the balanus of the penis.
1763, A New and Complete Dictionary of Arts and SciencesHere, nut means the rounded tip at the end of the penis.
Note
19
fancy dressernoundatedIrelandUKcountable
A young man who dresses in a very showy, fashionable way.
Like someone today who always wears the newest, flashiest clothes to be noticed.
Every nut in town wore the brightest waistcoats he could find.
Back in 1910, every young nut in town wore a top hat and gloves.
Similardandy, fop
Note
20
nounarchaic
A little cookie or cake with a round shape.
21
nounslangUS
A large amount of money a rich person keeps safe to keep living well even if they lose all the rest.
22
nounslang
A printing measurement equal to half the height of the type in use.
23
noun
A turning part inside the lock of an old gun that holds the hammer until the trigger is pulled.
24
noun
A small bump on each side of an anchor's shaft that holds the cross-bar in place.
25
noun
A nose ring worn by women in India. It is another way to spell nuth.

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–16, 18–19

This word came from Old English hnutu, meaning "nut." It goes back to an old Germanic root, and may be linked to words in Celtic and Latin (Latin nux, "nut").

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

English nut descends from Old English hnutu, meaning nut. en.wiktionary.org
The word descends from an ancient Germanic form. en.wiktionary.org
The word may be related to Celtic words and Latin nux. en.wiktionary.org
Latin nux means nut. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 17

The Scottish word nut, meaning "no," is a form of the word "not."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The Scottish word nut meaning "no" is a form of not. en.wiktionary.org