Shed
/ʃɛd/
verbnounB1
Definition
As a verb, "shed" means to let something fall off or come out from the body or object naturally. For example, animals shed fur or skin, and trees shed leaves. As a noun, a shed is a small building outside a house, often made of wood or metal, used to keep things like tools, bicycles, or garden supplies.
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See It in Action
Verb: To let something fall off naturally
- •Trees shed their leaves every autumn.
- •Dogs shed their fur when the weather gets warm.
- •She shed tears during the sad movie.
Noun: A small building for storage
- •He keeps his garden tools in the shed.
- •The shed is made of wood and has a small door.
- •We built a new shed to store bicycles.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "shed" (verb) like "drop," but it happens naturally and slowly, not like you throw or lose something suddenly
- ✓Picture a tree in autumn slowly dropping its colorful leaves to the ground
- ✓Imagine the feeling when your pet dog loses its old fur and you see hairs on the floor—that is shedding
- ✓Sounds like "shed" → imagine a small wooden house (shed) where you "shed" (drop) your tools after work
- ✓Think of a garden shed as a small safe place outside your home, simple and useful for storage
- ✓NOT like "throw" (you do it on purpose); "shed" happens naturally without effort
- ✓NOT like "lose" (which can be accidental); "shed" is a natural process or a small building, not losing something important
- ✓Verb "shed" is about letting go or dropping; noun "shed" is a place to keep things, very different but spelled the same
Try Other Words
- •Lose: to no longer have something (Use when something is gone but not naturally falling off)
- •Discard: to throw away something (Use when you get rid of something on purpose)
- •Storehouse: a place to keep things (Use when referring to a larger or more formal storage place than a shed)
- •Drop: to let go of something (Use when the falling is quick and not natural)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) — "shed" is a simple root word
- •Etymology: From Old English "scēadan," meaning to separate or divide, used since early English times
- •Historical development: Originally meant to separate or divide, later used for losing parts like hair or leaves, and for small buildings
- •Modern usage: Commonly used for natural loss of things (hair, leaves, skin) and for small outdoor buildings used for storage
Reflect & Connect
•How do different animals shed their fur or skin, and why do you think this is important for them?
•Why do you think people build sheds instead of just keeping tools inside the house?
Fill in the blanks
1.Trees shed their leaves in autumn because the cold weather ___ the tree to lose them.
2.When a dog sheds, it ___ fur naturally without help.
3.Unlike "throw," to shed something means it falls off ___ effort from you.
4.The garden shed is usually ___ a small building near the house for tools.
5.People often shed tears when they feel ___ or very emotional.
6.You can find a lawnmower stored inside the ___ behind the house.
7.Hair or skin that is shed is usually old or ___ and ready to fall off.