shed

¹ American  

[shed] / ʃɛd /

noun

1. a simple or rude structure built for shelter, storage, etc.

2. a large, strongly built structure, often open at the sides or end.

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shed ² American  

[shed] / ʃɛd /

verb (used with object)

shed, shedding

1. to emit and let fall, as tears.

   When someone arrived to rescue us, I shed tears of joy and gratitude.

2. 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.

   Synonyms:

   effuse, radiate, emit

3. to resist being penetrated or affected by.

   The jacket is treated with a durable water-repellent finish to shed light precipitation.

   Synonyms:

   repel

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. to pour forth (water or other liquid), as a fountain or river.

   All of these rivers eventually shed their waters into the Luapula River.

7. Textiles. to separate (the warp) in forming a shed.

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verb (used without object)

shed, shedding

1. 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.

   Synonyms:

   slough, molt

2. to fall off, as leaves.

   Leaves that are severely infected by this disease will shed prematurely.

3. 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.

noun

1. Textiles. (on a loom) a triangular, transverse opening created between raised and lowered warp threads through which the shuttle passes in depositing the loose thread that will become the weft.

idioms

1. shed blood,

   1. to cause blood to flow.

   2. to kill by violence; slaughter.

she'd ³ American  

[sheed] / ʃid /

1. contraction of she had.

2. contraction of she would.

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shed ¹ British  

/ ʃɛd /

verb

1. to pour forth or cause to pour forth

   to shed tears

   shed blood

2. to clarify or supply additional information about

3. to cast off or lose

   the snake shed its skin

   trees shed their leaves

4. (of a lorry) to drop (its load) on the road by accident

5. to abolish or get rid of (jobs, workers, etc)

6. to repel

   this coat sheds water

7. (also intr) (in weaving) to form an opening between (the warp threads) in order to permit the passage of the shuttle

8. dialect (tr) to make a parting in (the hair)

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noun

1. (in weaving) the space made by shedding

2. short for watershed

3. a parting in the hair

shed ² British  

/ ʃɛd /

noun

1. a small building or lean-to of light construction, used for storage, shelter, etc

2. a large roofed structure, esp one with open sides, used for storage, repairing locomotives, sheepshearing, etc

3. a large retail outlet in the style of a warehouse

4. another name for freezing works

5. at work

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verb

1. (tr) to store (hay or wool) in a shed

shed ³ British  

/ ʃɛd /

verb

1. (tr) to separate or divide off (some farm animals) from the remainder of a group

   a good dog can shed his sheep in a matter of minutes

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noun

1. (of a dog) the action of separating farm animals

shed ⁴ British  

/ ʃɛd /

noun

1. physics a former unit of nuclear cross section equal to 10 ^–52 square metre

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she'd ⁵ British  

/ ʃiːd /

contraction

1. she had or she would

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Usage

See contraction.

Other Word Forms

• nonshedding adjective
• shedable adjective
• sheddable adjective
• shedding noun
• shedlike adjective
• unshedding adjective

Etymology

Origin of shed¹

First recorded in 1475–85; variant of shade

Origin of shed²

First recorded before 950; Middle English verb shed(d)en, shed, Old English scēadan, scādan; cognate with German scheiden “to separate, divide”

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

Airline executives have said they expect the run-up in fuel prices will drive consolidation, forcing struggling carriers to seek partners or shed assets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

His claim that McColl must have unlocked the shed and opened it was described by the prosecution as "absurd".

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Even with the positive momentum, the IGV has shed 30% since its recent peak in September of last year.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Some residents are hopeful that a Tuesday evening town hall meeting will shed more light on the project, which they say was unexpected.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

She opened the shed where we kept the coal and dug around, dirtying her hands, until she excavated a garment bag, then another, then another.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• discard
• drop
• jettison
• scrap
• take off
• yield