shed

IPA/ʃed/
KK[ʃˈɛd]IPA/ʃed/

shed — noun

  • shedsingular
  • shedsplural

1. a modest wooden structure, found near a house or in a garden, used for storing t

1.nounA2
Definition

a modest wooden structure, found near a house or in a garden, used for storing tools, bicycles, or other items that need to be kept dry

Example

Christopher keeps his lawnmower and spade in the wooden shed behind the house.

keep [tools] in a shed

Mira found a box of old photographs while cleaning out her grandfather's shed.

Common collocations
  • garden shed
  • tool shed
  • wooden shed
  • bike shed
  • shed roof
Synonyms
  • hut

    a small simple building; a hut is often for people to shelter in, while a shed is for storing things

  • outhouse

    a small building near a main house; old-fashioned or regional, often includes outdoor toilets

Grammar Patterns

a shed

in the shed

keep something in a shed

Usage Note

A shed is usually smaller than a barn or a garage. You enter a shed through a door, but it is not meant for people to live in.

Common Mistakes

I put the tools in the shed garage.
I put the tools in the shed.
A shed and a garage are different; a garage is for cars, a shed is for garden items.

2. a spacious single-storey structure, often made of metal or concrete, used for in

2.nounB1
Definition

a spacious single-storey structure, often made of metal or concrete, used for industrial work, storing vehicles, protecting goods, or housing farm animals

Example

Hyun works in a huge steel shed where train carriages are repaired every week.

industrial shed for repair work

The sheep were brought into the shed before the snow started falling.

Common collocations
  • aircraft shed
  • train shed
  • machine shed
  • cattle shed
  • sheep shed
Synonyms
  • warehouse

    a large building for storing goods; more general, usually commercial

  • barn

    a farm building for livestock or crops; often divided into stalls

Grammar Patterns

a shed

in the shed

shed — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe small buildings, but they differ in purpose and size. A shed is a small, often wooden building for storing tools or garden equipment — you keep a lawnmower in a shed, not a car. A hut is similar in size but usually meant for people to shelter or live in temporarily, like a beach hut or a mountain hut. A barn is much larger, found on farms, and used for storing hay, grain, or housing livestock. A garage is built for parking cars and often attached to a house; unlike a shed, it has a wide door and a solid floor. In everyday English, if you store gardening tools outside, you say 'put them in the shed'. If you park your car, you say 'put it in the garage'.

shed ↗hut ↗barn ↗garage ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The noun and verb forms of 'shed' in English have different origins that later became the same spelling. The noun comes from Old English 'sced' ('scead'), meaning a parting or division, which developed into the idea of a building set apart from the main house. The verb comes from Old English 'sceadan', meaning to divide or separate, from an older Germanic root. Over time, the verb's meaning of 'separate from yourself' grew into the modern senses: casting off a covering, getting rid of something, or letting liquid flow.