shut-in
/'ʃʌt'in/
Definition
Noun:
- A person who is confined indoors, typically due to chronic illness, disability, or infirmity: A "shut-in" refers to someone who is largely or completely housebound because of a long-term health condition or physical limitation.
Adjective:
- Confined indoors, especially due to illness or disability: Describes a state of being unable or unlikely to leave one's home.
- Somewhat introverted or socially withdrawn: Describes a person who is inclined to avoid social contact and stay to themselves, though this usage is less clinical.
Usage Examples
Noun: The community volunteers deliver meals to elderly shut-ins. After his accident, he became a shut-in for several months.
Adjective: The shut-in patient received daily visits from a nurse. Her shut-in tendencies made it hard for her to make new friends.
Advanced Usage
- "to feel shut in": to feel confined or trapped, often emotionally, not just physically.
Variants and Related Words
- Shut-in (as a compound noun/adjective): The hyphenated form is standard when used as a noun or adjective before another noun (e.g., a shut-in person).
- Housebound (adj): Confined to the house, similar in meaning but often implies a temporary or specific cause.
- Recluse (n): A person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid others; this implies a stronger, often voluntary, separation from society than "shut-in."
Synonyms
- Noun: Invalid, convalescent, housebound person.
- Adjective: Confined, housebound, isolated, withdrawn.
Related Phrases
- To be shut in: The phrasal verb form describing the action of confinement.
Related Idioms
- Shut oneself in: To deliberately isolate oneself from others.
Noun
-
someone who is incapacitated by a chronic illness or injury
Adjective
-
confined usually by illness
-
somewhat introverted
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