shut-off
noun
a device that shuts something off, esp a machine control
shut-off
Britishnoun
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a device that shuts something off, esp a machine control
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a stoppage or cessation
verb
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to stem the flow of
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to block off the passage through
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to isolate or separate
shut off
Idioms
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Stop the flow or passage of, as in They shut off the water while repairs were being made . [Early 1800s]
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Close off, isolate, as in Loners shut themselves off from the community . [First half of 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
An extended shut-off of jet fuel and diesel from the Middle East into the global market could pit the fuel-poor U.S. coasts against Europe and Asia for supplies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026
America’s workplaces have been getting safer for more than a century now—cleaner, fewer fire risks, auto shut-off switches on tools, and even eye goggles and steel-toed boots.
From Barron's ● Nov. 15, 2025
Portuguese Bend resident Mike Hong said Saturday that he’d only learned of the impending shut-off an hour earlier.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2024
After a shut-off, Murphy said the entire line must be visually inspected to ensure it is clear of branches or any other hazards.
From Seattle Times ● May 5, 2024
“We have to turn the shut-off valve, take the pipe apart, put on a new connector, and stick it back together again.”
From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau
But in the meantime, the plant formerly known as Ilva has been ordered to shut off its blast furnaces by October 28 due to the presence of asbestos and illegal levels of fine airborne particles.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Some systems therefore appear to have shut off their jets only recently, while others have been evolving without active jets for much longer.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
I had trouble with some of the kiosks, and at one airport they were shut off on my arrival.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
A burst pipe in Beverly Grove sent water flowing down the street on Sunday morning, threatening parked vehicles and forcing some water services in the area to be shut off.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
I shut off the flashlight and bury myself under the covers.
From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio
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.
