shut

Formsshuts, shutting, shut

Pluralshuts

1. 1
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To block or close off an opening, gap, or passage.

   She shut the lid firmly to keep the smell inside.

   The heavy doors shut automatically whenever the alarm sounds.

   UsageThe past forms are also shut: she shut the door (not incorrect: shutted). Close usually works too.

   Similarclose, seal, slam, block

   Oppositeopen

   Note

   Old English scyttan meant to shoot a bolt, from a Germanic word for a bar or bolt, so to shut something was first to drive the bar home across it.

2. 2
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To close a business, factory, or service, or (of one) to stop operating, for a time or permanently.

   Officials decided to shut the plant after the safety inspection.

   The factory shut in 2009, and hundreds of workers lost their jobs.

   UsageOften shut down in this sense, as in shut down the plant; shops shut at a time or shut for a holiday.

3. 3
   adjective

   Physically sealed, blocked, or folded together rather than open.

   The clam stayed shut despite our efforts to pry it apart.

   He found every window shut and bolted against the storm.

   UsageUsually after a verb: a door bangs shut, keep your mouth shut. Make it stronger with tightly or firmly.

   Similarclosed, sealed

   Oppositeopen, ajar

4. 4
   keep outverbtransitive

   To preclude or exclude a person or group from something.

   Requiring an expensive license would shut most small farmers out of the local market.

   Critics argue that unpaid internships shut talented but poor students out of careers in journalism.

   UsageUsually shut someone out of something, as in shut small farmers out of the market.

   Similarexclude, bar

   Oppositeadmit, include

   Note

   Here the closing keeps someone out rather than in. Dryden's translation of Virgil (1697) speaks of being "shut from every shore," barred from any landing.

5. 5
   closed (shop)adjective

   Of a shop, building, or service: closed, so that it is not operating or open to the public.

   The museum is shut on Mondays for cleaning.

   We found the bakery shut, its lights off and the door locked.

   UsageUsually after a verb: the museum is shut on Mondays. Closed means the same and is what signs usually say.

6. 6
   close your mindverbtransitive or intransitive

   To make or become closed to ideas, feelings, or outside influence.

   It is easy to shut your heart to the suffering of strangers when you see it on the news every night.

   Over the years he had shut his mind to any view that challenged his own.

   UsageUsually shut your mind to or shut your heart to something.

   Similarclose

   Oppositeopen

7. 7
   lock inverbtransitive

   To keep someone or something inside a closed place, or away from other people and the outside world.

   The farmer shut the hens in their coop before nightfall.

   Guards used to shut prisoners in tiny stone cells.

   UsageUsually shut someone or something in a place, or shut them away; shut yourself away means stay alone.

8. 8
   close (computer)verbtransitive or intransitive

   To close an open application, window, or file, or to end a database connection or similar link.

   Before you install the update, save your work and shut every program that is still running.

   In a hurry, she shut the spreadsheet without saving and lost a whole afternoon of changes.

   UsageClose is more usual for files, windows and apps. An app that shuts on its own has often quit unexpectedly.

   Similarclose, terminate, exit

   Oppositeopen

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