shuttle

[shuht-l]

noun

1. a device in a loom for passing or shooting the weft thread through the shed from one side of the web to the other, usually consisting of a boat-shaped piece of wood containing a bobbin on which the weft thread is wound.

2. the sliding container that carries the lower thread in a sewing machine.

3. a public conveyance, as a train, airplane, or bus, that travels back and forth at regular intervals over a particular route, especially a short route or one connecting two transportation systems.

4. shuttlecock.

5. (often initial capital letter),  space shuttle.

verb (used with object)

shuttled, shuttling 

1. to cause (someone or something) to move to and fro or back and forth by or as if by a shuttle.

   They shuttled me all over the seventh floor.

verb (used without object)

shuttled, shuttling 

1. to move to and fro.

   constantly shuttling between city and suburb.

shuttle

/ ˈʃʌtəl /

noun

1. a bobbin-like device used in weaving for passing the weft thread between the warp threads

2. a small bobbin-like device used to hold the thread in a sewing machine or in tatting, knitting, etc

3. 1. a bus, train, aircraft, etc, that plies between two points, esp one that offers a frequent service over a short route

   2. short for space shuttle

4. 1. the movement between various countries of a diplomat in order to negotiate with rulers who refuse to meet each other

   2. ( as modifier )

      shuttle diplomacy

5. badminton short for shuttlecock

verb

1. to move or cause to move by or as if by a shuttle

Other Word Forms

• shuttlelike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shuttle¹

before 900; Middle English shotil (noun), Old English scytel dart, arrow; cognate with Old Norse skutill harpoon; akin to shut, shoot ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of shuttle¹

Old English scytel bolt; related to Middle High German schüzzel, Swedish skyttel. See _shoot , _shot

Example Sentences

It scrambled senior officials to talks in Geneva and all of Sunday we saw delegates from the US and Ukraine shuttling back and forth between the two main venues in black limousines with darkened windows.

Read more on BBC

Archer Aviation is building electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOL, to shuttle small groups over dense urban areas.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He carried a script he was writing in a slim briefcase, which he’d shuttle back and forth from the brand-new Starbucks down the street.

Read more on Salon

“Imagine if the FlyAway became all-electric shuttles with Wi-Fi on board. And imagine if it was made free to 20 additional locations across L.A. County,” he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Since August, Swiss officials and business executives have engaged in shuttle diplomacy as the country’s economy started to strain under the levy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• airplane 
• plane 
• shuttle bus www.thesaurus.com
• spacecraft 
• train