shoo

American  

[shoo] / ʃu /

interjection

1. (used to scare or drive away a cat, dog, chickens, birds, etc.)

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verb (used with object)

shooed, shooing

1. to drive away by saying or shouting “shoo.”

2. to request or force (a person) to leave.

   I'll have to shoo you out of here now.

verb (used without object)

shooed, shooing

1. to call out “shoo.”

shoo British  

/ ʃuː /

interjection

1. go away!: used to drive away unwanted or annoying people, animals, etc

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verb

1. (tr) to drive away by or as if by crying "shoo."

2. (intr) to cry "shoo."

Etymology

Origin of shoo

1475–85; earlier showe, shough, shooh, ssou (interjection), imitative; compare German schu

Example Sentences

Most people are inclined to shoo flies away from food, and the thought of maggots in your bins is enough to make anyone's stomach turn.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2025

Not that they''re a shoo in- there's a lot of resentment against Mr Sharif and his party, who are blamed for Pakistan's economic misery.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2024

“I’m the kind of person who, if I see a fly, I’ll kindly shoo it out the window.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2023

Tillman has enough arrogance to shoo the agents away, but Ole Munch and Dot herself are still in the wind, which makes him a target, too.

From New York Times • Nov. 22, 2023

When you see someone waving her arms, the first thing you want to know is whether she is trying to attract attention, shoo away flies, or exercise her deltoids.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker