shut

shut · verb, adjective, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)kewd-“to drive, fall upon, rush”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*skuttą
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*skutjaną
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*skuttjan
5. Old English · inherited fromsċyttan“to cause rapid movement, shoot a bolt, shut, bolt”
6. Middle English · inherited fromschitten
7. English todayshut

From Middle English schitten, schetten, from Old English sċyttan (“to cause rapid movement, shoot a bolt, shut, bolt”), from Proto-West Germanic *skuttjan, from Proto-Germanic *skutjaną, *skuttijaną (“to bar, bolt”), from Proto-Germanic *skuttą, *skuttjō (“bar, bolt, shed”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewd- (“to drive, fall upon, rush”). The Modern English word was originally a dialect form; the Old English word would have normally merged with shit. Cognate with Dutch schutten (“to shut in, lock up”), Low German schütten (“to shut, lock in”), German schützen (“to shut out, dam, protect, guard”).

shut · noun²

1. Old English · inherited fromscēotan
2. English todayshut

Variation of chute or shute (archaic, related to shoot) from Old English scēotan.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 17th century A door or cover; a shutter.