[General] What can I "shut"?

[olgkul]

I heard today from my co-worker," Shut the water"(the water was running). "Shut the light" -I heard from the same person a few days ago. Is it right to say?

 

[[M]in]

I do not think it is right to say like that. You can use Collocations Dict to know which nouns is "shut" used with:

Shut is used with these nouns as the subject: door, eye, factory, gate, mouth, shop

Shut is used with these nouns as the object: blind, boot, box, briefcase, curtain, door, drawer, ear, eye, factory, finger, gate, hatch, lid, mouth, shop, suitcase, window

 

[Amigos4]

I heard today from my co-worker," Shut the water"(the water was running). "Shut the light" -I heard from the same person a few days ago. Is it right to say?

Common usage in AmE is to shut something off, as in "Shut off the water." "Shut off the light." We would "shut the door" and "shut the gate."

 

[probus]

"Shut the lights (or light)" is definitely heard in AmE. Some Americans also say "Close the lights." I am not sure whether these usages are regional or how widespread they are. I've never heard them in Canada, the UK or India. In Canada we say "Turn off the lights (or light)."

I have never heard "Shut the water", but "Shut off the water" sounds perfect to me. I also have never heard "Shut the electricity." But in AmE "Shut off the electricity" means to disconnect it at the main switch.

 

[Amigos4]

[M]in and olgkul, welcome to the forums! :hi::hi:

 

[emsr2d2]

You can "shut out the light" by, for example, putting very thick black blinds or curtains up at the windows in order to stop any light getting in. It does not mean "switch off the electric light using the switch on the wall".

 

[SoothingDave]

"Shut the lights (or light)" is definitely heard in AmE. Some Americans also say "Close the lights." I am not sure whether these usages are regional or how widespread they are. I've never heard them in Canada, the UK or India. In Canada we say "Turn off the lights (or light)."

I have never heard "Shut the water", but "Shut off the water" sounds perfect to me. I also have never heard "Shut the electricity." But in AmE "Shut off the electricity" means to disconnect it at the main switch.

I've never heard any American say either "shut the lights" or "close the lights."

 

[emsr2d2]

I've never heard any American say either "shut the lights" or "close the lights."

Nor have I. I have heard "shut off the lights".

 

[probus]

Looking into it a little, it seems to be a New York regionalism.

 

[BobK]

"Shut the lights (or light)" is definitely heard in AmE. Some Americans also say "Close the lights." I am not sure whether these usages are regional or how widespread they are. I've never heard them in Canada, the UK or India. In Canada we say "Turn off the lights (or light)."

...

Maybe this has something to do with the number of Spanish-speakers (that is, first or only language speakers) in the southern US. I believe the same thing happens in French - which adds Louisiana to the group of possible sources for this false friend. ;-)

b

 

[Tdol]

Shut the lights sounds OK to me, like Hit the lights.

 

[BobK]

:up: (It's worth pointing out that 'Hit the lights' is pretty informal).

b

 

[SoothingDave]

And "hit the lights" could mean to either turn them off or on.

 

[BobK]

:up: I was beginning to say that in my last post, but then thought I was wrong. Now you've convinced me I wasn't

b

 

[emsr2d2]

:up: I was beginning to say that in my last post, but then thought I was wrong. Now you've convinced me I wasn't

b

I spent five minutes this morning trying to decide whether I thought "Hit the lights" would refer to turning them on or off. By the time I'd realised it was both, I was late for work and didn't have time to post.

 

[Tdol]

On or off for me.

 

[SoothingDave]

Both Metallica and Selena Gomez (separately) have used the expression in songs about taking the stage and getting the crowd all fired up. So it's definitely lights on in that case.