shutoff
shutoff — noun
1. a part of a pipe or machine that can be turned or closed to stop the flow of wat
a part of a pipe or machine that can be turned or closed to stop the flow of water, gas, or another substance.
The plumber turned the emergency shutoff under the kitchen sink before fixing the leaky pipe.
collocation: emergency shutoff
Every gas appliance in Tuan's house has its own shutoff for safety.
Jisoo could not find the main water shutoff when the washing machine hose burst.
The fire department asked the factory manager to locate the fuel-line shutoff immediately.
用法筆記
Often used in compound nouns: emergency shutoff, main shutoff, fuel shutoff, gas shutoff.
常見錯誤
2. an occasion when the supply of something, such as water, electricity, or gas, is
an occasion when the supply of something, such as water, electricity, or gas, is stopped, often suddenly and for a limited time.
The power shutoff left the whole neighbourhood in darkness for nearly six hours.
collocation: power shutoff
Heloísa received a notice about a scheduled water shutoff for pipe repairs next Tuesday.
collocation: scheduled water shutoff
Automatic gas shutoffs are designed to protect buildings during earthquakes.
Nikhil checked the calendar to see if any utility shutoffs were planned for the weekend.
- stoppage
more general, not limited to utilities; can refer to work stoppages
- interruption
emphasises that something is broken temporarily, not necessarily by a deliberate action
- cutoff
suggests a more permanent or deliberate end to supply
用法筆記
Commonly paired with utility types: water shutoff, gas shutoff, power shutoff. Can be countable ('three shutoffs this year') or uncountable ('shutoff of the main line').
常見錯誤
shutoff — verb
- shutoffpresent simple I / you / we / they
- shutoffs3rd person singular
- shutoffing-ing form
- shutoffedpast simple
1. to turn a valve, switch, or handle so that water, gas, electricity, or another s
to turn a valve, switch, or handle so that water, gas, electricity, or another substance no longer flows through a pipe, wire, or container.
Rodrigo shut off the garden hose before the sprinkler system froze overnight.
shut off + direct object (concrete substance)
The technician shut the gas off at the main pipe before checking the stove connection.
separable: shut + noun + off
Nora remembered to shut off the kitchen tap before the saucepan overflowed.
If you smell gas, shut off the supply valve and open the windows.
- turn on
to start or allow the flow
文法句型
shut off + noun (the water / the gas)
shut + noun + off
用法筆記
This sense focuses on stopping the flow of a substance. The object can be the substance itself ('shut off the water') or the device controlling it ('shut off the valve'). The particle 'off' can be separated from the verb: 'shut the water off.'
常見錯誤
2. to make a machine, engine, or piece of equipment stop working by pressing a butt
to make a machine, engine, or piece of equipment stop working by pressing a button, pulling a lever, or flipping a switch.
Emily shut off the office printer before leaving to save electricity overnight.
shut off + machine (energy-saving context)
The pilot shut the backup generator off after the main power system came back online.
separable: shut + noun + off
Hassan shut off the conveyor belt when he noticed a jam near the packaging station.
Luca shut off the blender after the smoothie had reached the right consistency.
- turn off
more common in everyday conversation; can be used for nearly any device
- switch off
common in British English; used for devices with a switch or button
- power down
more formal; often used for computers and large equipment
- turn on
to start or activate a machine
文法句型
shut off + noun (engine / pump / device)
shut + noun + off
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (STOP FLOW): this sense applies to devices that run on electricity or fuel rather than to the flow of a substance through pipes. The machine itself stops running, not just the flow going through it.
常見錯誤
3. (of a machine, engine, or device) to stop working, often automatically as part o
(of a machine, engine, or device) to stop working, often automatically as part of a safety system or because of a problem.
The engine shut off suddenly when the car ran out of fuel on the highway.
intransitive: engine shuts off by itself
The coffee maker shuts off automatically after two hours to prevent overheating.
Yara's laptop shut off without warning because the battery had completely drained.
The heating system shuts off when a window is left open for over five minutes.
文法句型
shut off (no object)
用法筆記
Intransitive only — the machine is the subject, not the object. There is no person performing the action; the device stops on its own. Common in user manuals and safety instructions.