shut downverb

• 1

  To close, terminate, or end; to stop operating, either permanently or temporarily.

  • The store was shut down at the end of the year.
  • The company shuts down underperforming lines.
• 2

  To close, terminate, or end; to stop operating, either permanently or temporarily.

  • It's a good idea to shut down the machine before you leave.
  • My computer is shutting down as we speak.
• 3

  To close, terminate, or end; to stop operating, either permanently or temporarily.

  • The restaurant shuts down at two o'clock in the morning.
  • Mary will shut down the breakfast buffet at ten-thirty.
• 4

  datedTo close, terminate, or end; to stop operating, either permanently or temporarily.

  • Once the night shut down, I couldn't see my way home.
  • The night shutting down, we could see but little of the wreckage offshore; but, as the sea came high up on the cliffs, we could not force ourselves to go away from the place, so great was the fascination of the storm.
• 5

  To suppress, block out, or reject something.

  • She made a proposal to reorganize the department, but management shut her down.
  • I asked her out, but she shut that down.
• 6

  To suppress, block out, or reject something.

  • We shut down the other team's strategy.
• 7

  To suppress, block out, or reject something.

  • I can't talk to him about the accident; he just shuts down anytime I try.
• 8

  slangTo pass (another vehicle), especially quickly.

  • I opened that throttle and shut him down.
  • Tach it up, tach it up / Buddy gonna shut you down