Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SHUT, v., n. Also shutt. Sc. forms and usages:

I. v. A. Forms. Pr.t. shut; pa.t. shut; pa.p. weak shut, †shoot (Inv. 1703 Inverness Sess. Rec. (Mitchell 1902) 72), shuttit, -ed (Abd. 1898 J. M. Cobban Angel i.; ne.Sc. 1970), strong shutten (Abd. 1883 G. MacDonald Donal Grant lvii.).

B. Usages. 1. (1) with adv. to, tae, tee: to shut close, to close properly, esp. of a door. Gen.Sc. Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped iii.:
The door was cautiously opened and shut to again behind me.Lnl. 1954 Scots Mag. (March) 434:
We shut to the gate and wended our way back.

(2) pa.p. shut in comb. shut-day, a holiday on which shops are shut for the whole or part of the day, early closing-day (m.Sc. 1970).m.Sc. 1946 R. G. Nettell Rum and Green Ginger iii.:
A holiday was punishment to him, and the one time when he had been known to enjoy a shut-day lived in his memory.

2. In pass.: to be shut of, to be rid of, free from. Obs. in Eng. exc. dial. Cf. Shuit, v., 3.(4).Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped xi.:
What we want is to be shut of him.

II. n. 1. A shutter for a window, gen. in pl. (Uls. 1953 Traynor). Obs. in Eng. exc. dial.Edb. 1754 Contract for building Exchange App.:
To bound-work in doors and shutts, 188 yards, at 3s 6d.e.Lth. 1810 Foord Acct. Bk. MS. 99:
To Cutting window Shuts.Sc. 1852 Tait's Mag. (Oct.) 589:
Will ye bring ane o' your ain shuts?Gsw. 1878 W. Penman Echoes 21:
In thro' the shuts the sun's bricht rays Are blinkin' on my auld wark shoon.

2. A sliding door or shutter; specif. in mining, in pl.: sliding or hinged boards on which the cage rests at the pithead and which are withdrawn when the cage is about to descend (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 59).Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm II. 267:
A small sliding shut should be made in the partition.Fif. 1950 Edb. Ev. Dispatch (28 Jan.):
Jim stepped on, and the pithead man drew the shutts.