shutting

Pluralshuttings

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle of shut.

   The store is shutting earlier than usual this week.

   Carefully shutting the lid, she sealed the jar of preserves.

   Note

   The -ing form doubles the final t of shut, as short-vowel verbs ending in a single consonant do. It works with an object (shutting the lid) and without one (the store is shutting early). The second pattern, used of a shop or venue closing for the day or for good, is a British way of speaking. In computing it also covers ending a program, file or window.

2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The act or process by which something is closed and made no longer open.

   The shutting of the factory gates marked the end of an era for the town.

   A firm shutting of the lid kept the contents fresh for weeks.

   Similarclosing, closure

   Oppositeopening

   Note

   Unlike the verb form, this noun can be counted. It takes a plural and often travels with its opposite, as in openings and shuttings of doors. It is usually followed by of, which names what was shut, and the pairing with opening is its most natural home. For a single, final closing, closure or closing is the more usual everyday choice.

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