shut
B1Neutral to informal. Formal equivalent often 'close'.
Definition
Meaning
To move (something like a door, lid, or window) into a position that blocks an opening; to close.
To cease or cause to cease operation; to refuse entrance or access; to confine or enclose; to bring parts together.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a more forceful, complete, or definitive action than 'close'. Can be used both transitively ('Shut the door.') and intransitively ('The window won't shut.').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is highly similar. 'Shut up' meaning 'be quiet' is more informal/impolite in both. Minor preference in phrases: BrE 'shut the shop', AmE 'close the store'.
Connotations
Identical core connotations of finality and obstruction.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in BrE casual speech than in AmE, where 'close' is marginally more common in neutral contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SV (The door shut.)SVO (He shut the door.)SVO+A (She shut the cat in the kitchen.)SVO+pp (Shut it down!)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “shut up shop”
- “shut your mouth/face!”
- “shut the door on something”
- “open-and-shut case”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We'll have to shut down production for maintenance."
Academic
"The study was shut down due to ethical concerns."
Everyday
"Can you shut the window? It's noisy outside."
Technical
"The safety valve shuts automatically at 150 psi."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He shut the boot of the car.
- The pub shuts at eleven.
American English
- He shut the trunk of the car.
- The bar closes at eleven.
adverb
British English
- He slammed the door shut.
- Pull the drawer shut.
American English
- He slammed the door shut.
- Slide the panel shut.
adjective
British English
- Keep your mouth shut.
- The post office is shut on Sundays.
American English
- Keep your mouth shut.
- The post office is closed on Sundays.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please shut the window.
- The shops shut at 6 pm.
- Her eyes shut quickly.
- I accidentally shut my finger in the door.
- The factory may shut down next year.
- He told the noisy dog to shut up.
- The new policy effectively shuts out independent candidates.
- She shut herself away to finish her thesis.
- The case was open-and-shut for the prosecutor.
- The scandal threatened to shut the entire operation down overnight.
- He had a perpetually shut-in expression, revealing nothing.
- They decided to shut the door on further negotiations.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SHUTTLE door closing — both start with 'shut-'.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION/ACCESS IS AN OPENING (to shut someone out, to shut down a conversation).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation for abstract uses. 'Shut your mouth' is very rude, not neutral like 'закрой рот'.
- "Shut the light" is wrong; use "turn off the light".
- Confusing 'shut' with 'shoot' (/ʃuːt/) in pronunciation.
Common Mistakes
- *I shutted the door. (Correct: I shut the door.)
- *She told him to shut. (Needs object/particle: shut up/down/it.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'shut' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The past simple and past participle of 'shut' is also 'shut'. It is an irregular verb (shut-shut-shut).
The word itself is not rude, but the imperative 'Shut up!' is a direct and often impolite command to be quiet. 'Shut the door' is neutral.
They are often interchangeable, but 'shut' can imply more force, speed, or finality. 'Close' is more common in formal writing and for abstract things (close a deal). You can 'close your eyes' but not 'shut a meeting'.
Yes, commonly in predicates. E.g., 'The door is shut', 'Keep your eyes shut'. It describes the state resulting from the action of shutting.