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

Three years later he faced down internal party division, challenging his rivals to "put up or shut up" He defeated Tory MP John Redwood in a ballot of his MPs.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

Before joining The Beatles, he says he was practicing drums alone as a kid, and the neighbours complained, yelling at him to shut up.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

If ever there were a time for the Fed to shut up and listen, last week was it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 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

Trouble was, once I learned it I wouldn’t shut up.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick