shut up

British  

verb

1. (tr) to prevent all access to

2. (tr) to confine or imprison

3. informal to cease to talk or make a noise or cause to cease to talk or make a noise: often used in commands

4. (intr) (of horses in a race) to cease through exhaustion from maintaining a racing pace

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shut up Idioms  

1. Imprison, confine, enclose, as in The dog was shut up in the cellar for the night , or She shut up her memories and never talked about the past . [c. 1400]

2. Close completely, as in The windows were shut up tightly so no rain came in . [Early 1500s] This usage also occurs in shut up shop , meaning “close the premises of a business,” as in It's late, let's shut up shop now . [Late 1500s] Also see close up , def. 3.

3. Cause someone to stop speaking, silence someone, as in It's time someone shut him up . [Early 1800s]

4. Stop speaking, as in I've told you what I think and now I'll shut up . This usage also occurs as a rather rude imperative, as in Shut up! You've said enough . [First half of 1800s]

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Example Sentences

It was a case of "go and score another", and never shut up shop and be cautious.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

"He would often tell me to shut up."

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Warren: The arpeggiation in “Ordinary” — I’ll shut up about this song eventually — everyone thinks it’s a harp, but it’s a rubber bridge guitar.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025

Mr. Easterly accurately describes the historical ideology that would tell the conquered to shut up and “enjoy the GDP.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

I wanted to tell him to shut up, but I didn’t.

From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings