shutting up shop

Verb

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

1. (UK, colloquial, intransitive) To close up shop; to end a business activity.
   • The company decided to shut up shop in this country and move to America, where corporate taxes are lower.
2. (intransitive) To bat defensively in the last innings of a match in order to force a draw when winning is not possible.
3. (intransitive) To play extremely defensively
   • Having taken a ninth-minute lead through the imperious Erling Haaland and seeing out the opening 45 minutes pretty comfortably, Guardiola decided to shut up shop in the second half, possibly with tiredness in mind.2025 September 21, Shamoon Hafez, “Guardiola gamble almost pays off as Liverpool cash in”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms:

   park the bus