shut-up

Verb

shut up (third-person singular simple present shuts up, present participle shutting up, simple past and past participle shut up)

1. (transitive) To close (a building) so that no one can enter.

   Synonyms:

   close off, seal up

   Antonyms:

   open, open up, reopen

2. (transitive) To terminate (a business).

   Synonyms:

   end, terminate, wind up

   Antonyms:

   establish, set up, start, start up

3. (transitive) To put (someone or something) in a secure enclosed space, such as a room or container.
   • The wicked prince was shut up in the castle dungeon.

   Synonyms:

   lock up, lock in, seal in, stash, stash away

   Antonyms:

   release

4. (derogatory, ergative, imperative, often) Of a person, to stop talking (said by someone, often one in authority, after one has said something annoying, irrelevant, or false, during a period of peace and quiet, or when one is not allowed to talk) or arguing, or (of a person or thing) making noise.
   • You are talking so loud that I can't hear the music – would you mind shutting up?

   Synonyms:

   shush, hush, silence, quieten, belt up, button it, button one's lip, back that train up, can it, clam up

5. (dated, slang, transitive) To murder, kill.
   • I just heard that your wife was trying to shut you up for the insurance money.

   Synonyms:

   annihilate, bag, baptize, bereave of life, blight, bring down, bump off, bury, cack, compromised to a permanent end

See all 8 meanings of shut up