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

• 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

And that decision has to be made in a heartbeat at the end of a mile-long ice chute covered at speeds exceeding 90 mph.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

PITTSBURGH—Lemon, a five-pound Chihuahua, waited at the starting line until her owner signaled “go,” then pulled a wheeled cart weighing 260 pounds down a 16-foot chute.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

Subterranean bins have been built into the brick pavement on street corners, where residents can drop their bags into a chute above ground.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2025

There are realms of adulthood I just can’t get to, because every time I climb a ladder of effort, I fall down a chute of impulsivity.

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2024

Opposite them, the impressors from northern Deliene waited while their boy stood silently in the chute below.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee