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Shelter

//ˈʃɛltɚ// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun

1
Somewhere one can find protection.; A place where a person or animal may find protection from the elements (especially rain, storms, or cold) sometimes as a place to sleep (such as a cave). countable
"The band of explorers found a shelter behind the waterfall, which they rested at for three days."
2
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger wordnet
3
Somewhere one can find protection.; A bare-bones above-ground structure meant to provide temporary cover from the elements; usually small and with no door to close. countable, usually
"The detective kept them in view. He made his way casually along the inside of the shelter until he reached an open scuttle close to where the two men were standing talking. Eavesdropping was not a thing Larard would have practised from choice, but there were times when, in the public interest, he had to do it, and this was one of them."
4
protective covering that provides protection from the weather wordnet
5
Somewhere one can find protection.; A place for protection from deadly conditions outside, including military assault; usually partly or fully underground. countable
"tornado shelter"

Show 7 more definitions

6
temporary housing for homeless or displaced persons wordnet
7
Somewhere one can find protection.; A refuge, sanctuary, or (by metonymy) institution that provides temporary housing or a place to sleep for those in need or in danger. countable
"(in compounds)"
8
a way of organizing business to reduce the taxes it must pay on current earnings wordnet
9
Somewhere one can find protection.; A refuge, sanctuary, or (by metonymy) institution that provides temporary housing or a place to sleep for those in need or in danger.; An animal shelter. countable, often
"I wish more people would look for pets at the shelter before turning to breeders!"
10
the condition of being protected wordnet
11
That which provides protection or cover. uncountable
"Along with air, water, and food, shelter is often recognized as a human necessity."
12
The state of being protected or shielded. abstract, uncountable

Verb

1
To provide cover from damage or harassment; to shield; to protect. transitive
"Those ruins sheltered once his sacred head."
2
invest (money) so that it is not taxable wordnet
3
To take cover. intransitive
"During the rainstorm, we sheltered under a tree."
4
provide shelter for wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English sheltron, sheldtrume (“roof or wall formed by locked shields”), from Old English sċildtruma, sċyldtruma (“a phalanx, company (of troops), a tortoise, a covering, shed, shelter”, literally “shield-troop”), from sċyld, sċield (“shield”) + truma (“a troop of soldiers”). Cognate with Scots schilthrum, schiltrum. More at shield, and Old English trymman (“to strengthen”), from trum (“strong, firm”) at trim. Doublet of sheltron (a kind of military formation), which is the more conservative of the two.

Etymology 2

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