Shrove Tues|day /ʃroʊ v tjuː zde I , [AM ] tuː z-/ N‑UNCOUNT Shrove Tuesday is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. People traditionally eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.
shrub /ʃrʌ b/ (shrubs ) N‑COUNT Shrubs are plants that have several woody stems. □ …flowering shrubs.
shrub|bery /ʃrʌ bəri/ (shrubberies )
1 N‑COUNT A shrubbery is a part of a garden where a lot of shrubs are growing. [BRIT ]
2 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to a lot of shrubs or to shrubs in general as shrubbery .
shrub|by /ʃrʌ bi/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A shrubby plant is like a shrub. □ …a shrubby tree.
shrug /ʃrʌ g/ (shrugs , shrugging , shrugged ) VERB If you shrug , you raise your shoulders to show that you are not interested in something or that you do not know or care about something. □ [V ] I shrugged, as if to say, 'Why not?' □ [V n] The man shrugged his shoulders. ● N‑COUNT Shrug is also a noun. □ 'I suppose so,' said Anna with a shrug.
▸ shrug off PHRASAL VERB If you shrug something off , you ignore it or treat it as if it is not really important or serious. □ [V P n] He shrugged off the criticism. □ [V n P ] He just laughed and shrugged it off.
shrunk /ʃrʌ ŋk/ Shrunk is the past participle of shrink .
shrunk|en /ʃrʌ ŋkən/ ADJ Someone or something that is shrunken has become smaller than they used to be. □ She now looked small, shrunken and pathetic.
shtick /ʃt I k/ → see schtick
shuck /ʃʌ k/ (shucks , shucking , shucked )
1 N‑COUNT The shuck of something is its outer covering, for example the leaves round an ear of corn, or the shell of a shellfish. [AM ] □ …corn shucks.
2 VERB If you shuck something such as corn or shellfish, you remove it from its outer covering. [AM ] □ [V n] On a good day, each employee will shuck 3,500 oysters.
3 VERB If you shuck something that you are wearing, you take it off. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] He shucked his coat and set to work.
4 EXCLAM Shucks is an exclamation that is used to express embarrassment, disappointment, or annoyance. [AM , INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ Terry actually says 'Oh, shucks!' when complimented on her singing.
shud|der /ʃʌ də r / (shudders , shuddering , shuddered )
1 VERB If you shudder , you shake with fear, horror, or disgust, or because you are cold. □ [V prep/adv] Lloyd had urged her to eat caviar. She had shuddered at the thought. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Shudder is also a noun. □ She recoiled with a shudder.
2 VERB If something such as a machine or vehicle shudders , it shakes suddenly and violently. □ [V prep/adv] The train began to pull out of the station–then suddenly shuddered to a halt. □ [V ] The whole ship shuddered and trembled at the sudden strain.
3 N‑COUNT If something sends a shudder or shudders through a group of people, it makes them worried or afraid. □ [+ of ] The next crisis sent a shudder of fear through the U.N. community.
4 PHRASE If you say that you shudder to think what would happen in a particular situation, you mean that you expect it to be so bad that you do not really want to think about it. [FEELINGS ] □ I shudder to think what would have happened if he hadn't acted as quickly as he did.
shuf|fle /ʃʌ f ə l/ (shuffles , shuffling , shuffled )
1 VERB If you shuffle somewhere, you walk there without lifting your feet properly off the ground. □ [V prep/adv] Moira shuffled across the kitchen. ● N‑SING Shuffle is also a noun. □ She noticed her own proud walk had become a shuffle.
2 VERB If you shuffle around , you move your feet about while standing or you move your bottom about while sitting, often because you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. □ [V prep/adv] He shuffles around in his chair. □ [V n] He grinned and shuffled his feet.
3 VERB If you shuffle playing cards, you mix them up before you begin a game. □ [V n] There are various ways of shuffling and dealing the cards. [Also V ]
4 VERB If you shuffle things such as pieces of paper, you move them around so that they are in a different order. □ [V n] The silence lengthened as Thorne unnecessarily shuffled some papers.
shun /ʃʌ n/ (shuns , shunning , shunned ) VERB If you shun someone or something, you deliberately avoid them or keep away from them. □ [V n] From that time forward everybody shunned him. □ [V n] He has always shunned publicity.
shunt /ʃʌ nt/ (shunts , shunting , shunted )
1 VERB [usu passive] If a person or thing is shunted somewhere, they are moved or sent there, usually because someone finds them inconvenient. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [be V -ed prep/adv] He has spent most of his life being shunted between various foster families.
2 VERB When railway engines shunt wagons or carriages, they push or pull them from one railway line to another. □ [V n prep/adv] The GM diesel engine shunted the coaches to Platform 4.
shush /ʃʊ ʃ, ʃʌ ʃ/ (shushes , shushing , shushed )
1 CONVENTION You say shush when you are telling someone to be quiet. □ Shush! Here he comes. I'll talk to you later.
2 VERB If you shush someone, you tell them to be quiet by saying 'shush' or 'sh', or by indicating in some other way that you want them to be quiet. □ [V n] Frannie shushed her with a forefinger to the lips. [Also V ]