# shoe

Pronunciation: say "SHOO" US /ˈʃu/, UK /ˈʃuː/

## Noun

1. A protective covering for the foot, with a tough sole, often of leather, rubber, or plastic, and a softer upper, that generally stops below the ankle, unlike a boot.
   - Simple: A covering you wear on your foot that does not go higher than the ankle.
   - _He slipped off one shoe to shake out a pebble._
   - _The store sells running shoes, dress shoes, and sandals._
2. A shaped piece of metal fixed to the underside of a horse's hoof to protect it from wear; a horseshoe.
   - Simple: A curved piece of metal nailed to a horse's foot to protect it.
   - _The farrier nailed a new shoe onto the gelding's hoof._
   - _One of the shoes had worked loose during the long ride._
4. A part that resembles footwear in its shape, position, or function, such as a brake shoe.
   - Simple: A part shaped or placed like footwear that does a similar job, such as a brake shoe.
   - _The crane's outrigger rests on a wide steel shoe to spread the load._
   - _Mechanics replaced the worn shoes that grip the cable on the lift._
5. A device that holds multiple decks of playing cards, dealing them out so more games can be played between shuffles.
   - Simple: A box that holds several decks of cards so the dealer can deal more hands between shuffles.
   - _The croupier slid each card smoothly from the shoe._
   - _Casinos load several decks into the shoe to slow down card counters._
6. The contact part of a current collector on an electric train that touches a live rail or overhead wire to draw power.
   - Simple: The part of an electric train that touches a rail or wire to pick up power.
   - _The pickup shoe maintained steady contact with the conductor rail._
   - _When the shoe lifted off the rail, the lights flickered._
7. A pneumatic tire, or its outer casing and tread, especially on a car; often used informally in the plural.
   - Simple: A tire on a car or other vehicle, especially its outer rubber part.
   - _Before the road trip, we put new shoes on the van so the old tires would not blow out._
   - _After a winter on gravel roads, the pickup needed a new shoe on every wheel._
8. A band of iron or steel, or a strip of wood, fastened to the bottom of a sleigh's runner or any vehicle that slides over snow.
   - Simple: A strip of iron, steel, or wood fixed to the bottom of a sleigh's runner where it slides on snow.
   - _The blacksmith fitted a new shoe to the worn sleigh runner._
   - _A steel shoe along each runner let the sleigh glide smoothly over packed snow._
9. A sliding piece of wood or iron placed under the wheel of a loaded vehicle to slow it on a downhill slope.
   - Simple: A block of wood or iron put under a wheel to slow a heavy cart going downhill.
   - _The carter slipped a shoe under the rear wheel before the steep descent._
   - _Without a shoe to drag against the road, the loaded wagon would have run away downhill._
10. A plate or notched piece set between a moving part and the stationary part it bears on, taking the wear and allowing adjustment.
   - Simple: A metal plate placed between a moving part and the still part it rests on, to take the wear.
   - _Engineers replaced the worn shoe between the slide and the bed of the lathe._
   - _Each shoe takes the friction so the moving table itself does not wear down._
11. An iron socket or plate fitted to the end of a timber, such as a rafter or pile, to hold it in place or protect it.
   - Simple: A metal cap or socket fixed to the end of a wooden beam or post to hold or protect it.
   - _The carpenter set each rafter foot into an iron shoe bolted to the beam._
   - _A steel shoe anchors the strut where it pushes against the wall._

## Verb

3. To put or fit shoes on a person or animal, especially to fit a horse with horseshoes.
   - Simple: To put shoes on a person or an animal, especially metal shoes on a horse.
   - _A skilled farrier can shoe a draft horse in under an hour._
   - _The stable hands shoe the racehorses before every meet._

## Other meanings

- (verb) To cover something with a protective layer of material.
- (noun) A forged or counterfeit passport, especially one used to cross borders under a false identity.
- (noun) A trough- or spout-shaped piece at the foot of a downspout that directs rainwater away from the building.
- (noun) An inclined trough or spout in a mill that feeds grain or ore from the hopper to the grinding or crushing parts.
- (noun) A boat-shaped ingot of gold or silver, resembling a traditional Chinese shoe, formerly used as currency in trade across the Far East.

## Origin

This word comes from Middle English "scho" and Old English "scoh" (shoe), going back through Proto-West Germanic and Proto-Germanic "*skohaz." Its deeper origin is unclear, though it may be linked to a root meaning "to move quickly." It is related to Dutch "schoen," German "Schuh," and the Scandinavian "sko."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/shoe (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).