a simple or rude structure built for shelter, storage, etc.
a large, strongly built structure, often open at the sides or end.
to emit and let fall, as tears.
When someone arrived to rescue us, I shed tears of joy and gratitude.
to impart or release; give or send forth (light, sound, fragrance, influence, etc.).
A full moon was shedding its light on the little town as they entered it.
to resist being penetrated or affected by.
The jacket is treated with a durable water-repellent finish to shed light precipitation.
to cast off or let fall (leaves, hair, feathers, skin, shell, etc.) by natural process.
A healthy, growing snake will shed its skin about once a month.
to get rid of or release oneself from.
First, we must shed our illusions about what rural life is supposed to be like.
I find that I go through phases where I shed some of my friendships.
to pour forth (water or other liquid), as a fountain or river.
All of these rivers eventually shed their waters into the Luapula River.
Textiles. to separate (the warp) in forming a shed.
to cast off hair, feathers, skin, or other covering or parts by natural process.
All dogs shed, and need some grooming to brush out loose hair.
to fall off, as leaves.
Leaves that are severely infected by this disease will shed prematurely.
to drop out, as hair, seed, grain, etc..
My hair began shedding during the first month after I started taking the medication.
The seeds of this plant shed soon after the pod opens, so they’re hard to find.
contraction of she had.
contraction of she would.
to pour forth or cause to pour forth
to shed tears
shed blood
to clarify or supply additional information about
to cast off or lose
the snake shed its skin
trees shed their leaves
(of a lorry) to drop (its load) on the road by accident
to abolish or get rid of (jobs, workers, etc)
to repel
this coat sheds water
(also intr) (in weaving) to form an opening between (the warp threads) in order to permit the passage of the shuttle
dialect (tr) to make a parting in (the hair)
(in weaving) the space made by shedding
short for watershed
a parting in the hair
a small building or lean-to of light construction, used for storage, shelter, etc
a large roofed structure, esp one with open sides, used for storage, repairing locomotives, sheepshearing, etc
a large retail outlet in the style of a warehouse
another name for freezing works
at work
See contraction.
First recorded in 1475–85; variant of shade
First recorded before 950; Middle English verb shed(d)en, shed, Old English scēadan, scādan; cognate with German scheiden “to separate, divide”
The small, simple building in your yard where you keep tools or gardening equipment is a shed. As a noun, shed means "hut," and probably comes from the word shade. But shed is also a verb meaning "to cast off," like when a snake sheds its skin. If your couch is covered in fur, it might be because your dog is shedding. You can shed non-physical things, like a bad habit. Does your cat shed? If so, maybe I should sleep in the shed since I'm allergic.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The S&P 500 shed 2.6% in its worst weekly performance since May of last year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
The division shed nearly 750 revenue agents, according to an April report from the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
The tradition calls people to shed the performance of acceptability and live from a truer place.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
A similar dip has been seen again more recently, with Bitcoin sinking to less than $62,000 on 5 June - sparking fears for some it could shed even more than 50% of its highest value.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
She hid in the back corner of the shed and wrapped herself around Churro, shaking and shivering and wondering how long she was going to have to survive here until the storm ended.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
