shed

shed¹ S3 [ʃed] n

[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: Probably from shade]

1.) a small building, often made of wood, used especially for storing things

▪ a tool shed

▪ a cattle shed

▪ a garden shed

2.) a large industrial building where work is done, large vehicles are kept, machinery is stored

shed ²

shed² past tense and past participle shed present participle shedding

v [T]

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1¦(get rid of)¦

2 shed light

3¦(plants/animals)¦

4¦(drop/fall)¦

5 shed blood

6 shed tears

7¦(water)¦

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[: Old English; Origin: sceadan 'to divide, separate']

1.) ¦(GET RID OF)¦

to get rid of something that you no longer need or want

▪ The company is planning to shed about a quarter of its workforce.

▪ The magazine is desperately trying to shed its old-fashioned image.

▪ a diet to help you shed pounds

2.) shed light

a) to make something easier to understand, by providing new or better information

shed light on

▪ Recent research has shed light on the causes of the disease.

▪ Investigators hope to shed light on what started the fire.

b) if something sheds light, it lights the area around it

▪ The lamp shed a harsh yellow light.

3.) ¦(PLANTS/ANIMALS)¦

if a plant sheds its leaves or if an animal sheds skin or hair, they fall off as part of a natural process

▪ The trees were starting to shed their leaves .

▪ As it grows, a snake will regularly shed its skin .

4.) ¦(DROP/FALL)¦

to drop something or allow it to fall

▪ He strode across the bathroom, shedding wet clothes as he went.

shed a load BrE

▪ A lorry shed its load of steel bars on the M25.

5.) shed blood

to kill or injure people, especially during a war or a fight

▪ Too much blood has already been shed in this conflict.

→↑bloodshed

6.) shed tears

especially literary to cry

▪ She had not shed a single tear during the funeral.

7.) ¦(WATER)¦

if something sheds water, the water flows off its surface, instead of sinking into it