shelter

[ shel-ter ]

/ ˈʃɛl tər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shelter ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

something beneath, behind, or within which a person, animal, or thing is protected from storms, missiles, adverse conditions, etc.; refuge.

the protection or refuge afforded by such a thing: He took shelter in a nearby barn.

protection from blame, incrimination, etc.

a dwelling place or home considered as a refuge from the elements: Everyone's basic needs are food, clothing, and shelter.

a building serving as a temporary refuge or residence for homeless persons, abandoned animals, etc.

Finance. tax shelter.

verb (used with object)

to be a shelter for; afford shelter to: The old barn sheltered him from the rain.

to provide with a shelter; place under cover.

to protect, as by shelter; take under one's protection: Parents should not try to shelter their children from normal childhood disappointments.

Finance. to invest (money) in a tax shelter.

verb (used without object)

to take shelter; find a refuge: He sheltered in a barn.

Finance. to invest money in a tax shelterd.

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Origin of shelter

1575–85; perhaps alteration of obsolete sheltron testudo, Old English scieldtruma, equivalent to scield shield + truma body of fighting men; see trim

SYNONYMS FOR shelter

1 retreat, asylum, sanctuary, shield, haven, harbor.

7 harbor, house.

9 guard, safeguard, shield, defend.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shelter ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for shelter

1. See cover.

OTHER WORDS FROM shelter

shel·ter·er, nounshel·ter·ing·ly, adverbshel·ter·less, adjectiveshel·ter·less·ness, noun

self-shel·ter, nounun·shel·ter·ing, adjective

Words nearby shelter

shellflower, shellproof, shellwork, shelly, shelta, shelter, shelter belt, shelter deck, shelter in place, shelter tent, sheltered

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for shelter

The grim instability of shelter life is hardly a recipe for success under the best of circumstances.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Some of them are trying to find places where they might be able to shelter if it comes to this.
Has the Kurdish Victory at Sinjar Turned the Tide of ISIS War?|Niqash|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They sacrifice their shelter to contain the walkers—and Judith gets her first action scene!
The Walking Dead’s Midseason Finale Shocker: A Cherished Character Meets a Grisly End|Melissa Leon|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After weeks or months in the line only a wound can offer him the comfort of safety, shelter, and a bed.
Blood in the Sand: When James Jones Wrote a Grunt’s View of D-Day|James Jones|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The officers—led by a woman named Dawn Lerner—provide food and shelter at the hospital for needy people they find on the road.
The Walking Dead’s ‘Slabtown’: The Real Source of Terror Isn’t Walkers, It’s Rape|Melissa Leon|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hearing the report of our guns, the flock flew towards the wood for shelter.
Snow Shoes and Canoes|William H. G. Kingston
Once more it was shown how weak an arm is artillery against an enemy who lies in shelter.
The Great Boer War|Arthur Conan Doyle
They were just returning to the shelter of the doorway when two shots rang out, but neither was effective.
The Campaign of the Jungle|Edward Stratemeyer
Still keeping under the shelter of the cliff, I carefully surveyed the vessel.
The Swiss Family Robinson|Johann David Wyss
I hoped, moreover, that a full meal of cold rations would compensate to some extent for the lack of warm food and shelter.
South!|Sir Ernest Shackleton

British Dictionary definitions for shelter

shelter

/ (ˈʃɛltə) /

noun

something that provides cover or protection, as from weather or danger; place of refuge

the protection afforded by such a cover; refuge

the state of being sheltered

verb

(tr) to provide with or protect by a shelter

(intr) to take cover, as from rain; find refuge

(tr) to act as a shelter for; take under one's protection

Derived forms of shelter

shelterer, nounshelterless, adjective

Word Origin for shelter

C16: of uncertain origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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shelter

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Origin of shelter

SYNONYMS FOR shelter

synonym study for shelter

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Example sentences from the Web for shelter

British Dictionary definitions for shelter

noun

verb

Derived forms of shelter

Word Origin for shelter

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

shelter

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

QUIZZES

FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Origin of shelter

SYNONYMS FOR shelter

synonym study for shelter

OTHER WORDS FROM shelter

Words nearby shelter

Words related to shelter

Example sentences from the Web for shelter

British Dictionary definitions for shelter

noun

verb

Derived forms of shelter

Word Origin for shelter