chute

¹ American  

[shoot] / ʃut /

noun

1. an inclined channel, as a trough, tube, or shaft, for conveying water, grain, coal, etc., to a lower level.

2. a waterfall or steep descent, as in a river.

3. a water slide, as at an amusement park.

4. a steep slope, as for tobogganing.

5. a narrow corridor or enclosure for livestock that keeps the animals moving in single file or holds an animal in a forward-facing position until released to proceed into a designated area.

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verb (used with object)

chuted, chuting

1. to move or deposit, by or as if by means of a chute.

   The dock had facilities for chuting grain directly into the hold of a vessel.

verb (used without object)

chuted, chuting

1. to descend by or as if by means of a chute.

idioms

1. out of the chute, at the start; at the very beginning.

   The new business made mistakes right out of the chute and failed within a year.

chute ² American  

[shoot] / ʃut /

noun

1. a parachute.

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verb (used without object)

chuted, chuting

1. to descend from the air by or as if by a parachute.

verb (used with object)

chuted, chuting

1. to drop from an aircraft by means of a parachute.

   Supplies were chuted to the snowbound mountain climbers.

chute ¹ British  

/ ʃuːt /

noun

1. an inclined channel or vertical passage down which water, parcels, coal, etc, may be dropped

2. a steep slope, used as a slide as for toboggans

3. a slide into a swimming pool

4. a narrow passageway through which animals file for branding, spraying, etc

5. a rapid or waterfall

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chute ² British  

/ ʃuːt /

noun

1. informal short for parachute

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chutist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chute¹

First recorded in 1715–25; from French, Middle French, representing Old French cheoite “a fall,” noun use of feminine past participle of cheoir “to fall” (from unattested Vulgar Latin cadēre, for Latin cadere ), with vowel of Middle French chue, Old French cheue, a variant past participle; some senses influenced by shoot ¹; see also cadence, case ¹

Origin of chute²

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; by shortening

Example Sentences

Andrew Chute had a home run and three RBIs for Chaminade.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

Chute didn’t just get to hear her; he also saw her nearly every weekday for 38 years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Olivier Unia was chosen for his photograph Tbourida La Chute.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2025

“Their work influenced a generation of feminist creators across different media,” Professor Chute, who is a contributor to The New York Times Book Review, said in a phone interview.

From New York Times • Sep. 11, 2022

His idea was to “marry money,” as he termed it, a notion highly applauded by Mrs Chute, who gave it as her opinion that her son was a match for any lady in the land.

From The New Mistress A Tale by Fenn, George Manville