Shed as noun
/ʃɛd/
nounA2
Definition
A shed is a small, usually wooden or metal building that stands alone in a garden or yard. People use it to keep tools, bicycles, or other things safe and dry. It is often simple and does not have many rooms.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
A small outdoor building for storage
- •He keeps his gardening tools in the shed.
- •The children play near the old wooden shed in the backyard.
- •We built a new shed to store the bicycles and lawnmower.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "shed" like "house," but much smaller and simpler—only one room and no people live inside
- ✓Picture a small wooden box or little building in the backyard where you keep your garden tools and bike
- ✓It feels like a quiet, safe place for your things outside your home, like a tiny storage house
- ✓Sounds like "shed" → imagine "shedding" leaves outside and putting your tools inside a small building called a shed
- ✓In stories, a shed is often where people hide or keep secret things, like a small treasure box outside the house
- ✓NOT like "garage" (usually bigger and for cars), a shed is smaller and for many kinds of storage
- ✓NOT like "room" (inside a house), a shed is separate and outside
- ✓NOT like "barn" (used for animals or large storage), a shed is smaller and more for tools or small items
Try Other Words
- •Storage building: a place to keep things (Use when you want a general, clear phrase)
- •Toolhouse: a small building for tools (Use when focusing on tools specifically)
- •Outbuilding: any small building outside the main house (Use when talking about any small building outside the home)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "shed" (single root word, no prefix or suffix)
- •Etymology: From Old English "scead" meaning shelter or covering
- •Historical development: Originally meant a simple shelter or covering; over time, it came to mean a small building for storage
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe a small building in gardens or yards for storing tools, bikes, or other items
Reflect & Connect
•How does having a shed help people organize their outdoor spaces?
•Can a shed be more than just storage? What other uses might it have?
Fill in the blanks
1.He put the lawnmower inside the shed to keep it ___ from rain and sun.
2.The shed is usually found ___ the house, often in the garden or backyard.
3.Unlike a garage, a shed is smaller and usually does not have a ___ for cars.
4.When the gardener finished work, he stored his tools ___ the shed.
5.The old shed looked ___ but still kept the tools safe.
6.People often build a shed when they need more ___ space outside their home.
7.The children hid their secret treasure ___ the small wooden shed behind the house.