Shoe

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʃuː/
• Rhymes: -uː
• Homophones: shoo, SHU

Origin

From Middle English shoo, from Old English scōh ("shoe"), from Proto-Germanic *skōhaz ("shoe", literally "covering") (cf. Scots shae, West Frisian skoech, Low German Schoh, Dutch schoen, German Schuh, Danish and Swedish sko), from Proto-Indo-European *skeuk- (cf. Tocharian B skāk ‘balcony’), from *(s)keu- ("to cover"). More at sky.

Full definition of shoe

Noun

1. A protective covering for the foot, with a bottom part composed of thick leather or plastic sole and often a thicker heel, and a softer upper part made of leather or synthetic material. Shoes generally do not extend above the ankle, as opposed to boots, which do.Get your shoes on now, or you'll be late for school.
2. A piece of metal designed to be attached to a horse's foot as a means of protection; a horseshoe.Throw the shoe from behind the line, and try to get it to land circling (a ringer) or touching the far stake.
3. Something resembling a shoe in form, position, or function, such as a brake shoe.Remember to turn the rotors when replacing the brake shoes, or they will wear out unevenly.
1. A band of iron or steel, or a ship of wood, fastened to the bottom of the runner of a sleigh, or any vehicle which slides on the snow.
2. A drag, or sliding piece of wood or iron, placed under the wheel of a loaded vehicle, to retard its motion in going down a hill.
3. The part of a railroad car brake which presses upon the wheel to retard its motion.
4. (architecture) A trough-shaped or spout-shaped member, put at the bottom of the water leader coming from the eaves gutter, so as to throw the water off from the building.
5. A trough or spout for conveying grain from the hopper to the eye of the millstone.
6. An inclined trough in an ore-crushing mill.
7. An iron socket or plate to take the thrust of a strut or rafter.
8. An iron socket to protect the point of a wooden pile.
9. (engineering) A plate, or notched piece, interposed between a moving part and the stationary part on which it bears, to take the wear and afford means of adjustment; called also slipper and gib.

Usage notes

The plural shoon is archaic and no longer in common use.

Hyponyms

• moccasin
• pump
• sandal
• slipper
• sneaker
• stiletto
• flip flop

Derived terms

Verb

1. To put shoes on one's feet.
• …men and women clothed and shod for the ascent… — Michel Potay, The Gospel Delivered in Arès, 26:6, 1995
2. To put horseshoes on a horse.
• 1874— Thomas Hardy, , chapter XXXII"Old Jimmy Harris only shoed her last week, and I'd swear to his make among ten thousand."
3. To equip an object with a protection against wear.The billiard cue stick was shod in silver.

Anagrams

• hoes
• hose