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3. shut up

shut up

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shut someone up

to silence someone. Oh, shut yourself up! Will you please shut up that crying baby!

See also: shut, up

shut (somebody) up

to stop talking or making noise, or to make someone do this I wish you'd shut up and listen. He called me a fool, and that shut me up.

See also: shut, up

shut somebody/something up

to keep people or animals in a separate place Every day she went up to a little room on the third floor where she shut herself up to work. At night we always kept the dog shut up in its cage.

See also: shut, up

shut up

1. Imprison, confine, enclose, as in The dog was shut up in the cellar for the night, or She shut up her memories and never talked about the past. [c. 1400]

2. Close completely, as in The windows were shut up tightly so no rain came in. [Early 1500s] This usage also occurs in shut up shop, meaning "close the premises of a business," as in It's late, let's shut up shop now. [Late 1500s] Also see close up, def. 3.

3. Cause someone to stop speaking, silence someone, as in It's time someone shut him up. [Early 1800s]

4. Stop speaking, as in I've told you what I think and now I'll shut up. This usage also occurs as a rather rude imperative, as in Shut up! You've said enough. [First half of 1800s]

See also: shut, up

shut up

v.

1. To stop speaking: Shut up!—I can't concentrate. We know to shut up when a teacher walks into the room.

2. To cause someone to stop speaking; silence someone: Her outstanding performance shut up her critics. The children's yelling was disturbing the neighbors, so I went in and shut them up.

3. To shut and lock some building for a temporary period of time: We shut up the camp for the winter. The caretaker shut the cottage up.

See also: shut, up

shut up

in. to be quiet. Shut up and listen!

See also: shut, up