chute

¹

[ shoot ]

noun

1. an inclined channel, as a trough, tube, or shaft, for conveying water, grain, coal, etc., to a lower level.
2. a waterfall or steep descent, as in a river.
3. a water slide, as at an amusement park.
4. a steep slope, as for tobogganing.
5. a narrow corridor or enclosure for livestock that keeps the animals moving in single file or holds an animal in a forward-facing position until released to proceed into a designated area.

verb (used with object)

, chut·ed, chut·ing.

1. to move or deposit, by or as if by means of a chute:

   The dock had facilities for chuting grain directly into the hold of a vessel.

verb (used without object)

, chut·ed, chut·ing.

1. to descend by or as if by means of a chute.

chute

²

[ shoot ]

noun

1. a parachute.

verb (used without object)

, chut·ed, chut·ing.

1. to descend from the air by or as if by a parachute.

verb (used with object)

, chut·ed, chut·ing.

1. to drop from an aircraft by means of a parachute:

   Supplies were chuted to the snowbound mountain climbers.

chute

¹

/ ʃuːt /

noun

1. informal.
   short for parachute

chute

²

/ ʃuːt /

noun

1. an inclined channel or vertical passage down which water, parcels, coal, etc, may be dropped
2. a steep slope, used as a slide as for toboggans
3. a slide into a swimming pool
4. a narrow passageway through which animals file for branding, spraying, etc
5. a rapid or waterfall

Derived Forms

• ˈchutist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chute¹

First recorded in 1715–25; from French, Middle French, representing Old French cheoite “a fall,” noun use of feminine past participle of cheoir “to fall” (from unattested Vulgar Latin cadēre, for Latin cadere ), with vowel of Middle French chue, Old French cheue, a variant past participle; some senses influenced by shoot ¹; cadence, case ¹

Origin of chute²

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; by shortening

Word History and Origins

Origin of chute¹

C19: from Old French cheoite, feminine past participle of cheoir to fall, from Latin cadere; in some senses, a variant spelling of shoot

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. out of the chute, at the start; at the very beginning:

   The new business made mistakes right out of the chute and failed within a year.

Example Sentences

At Invicta House there has been a spate of fires, apparently started deliberately, in chutes used to send rubbish to the ground floor.

From BBC

As on all rapids rides, the turbulent river, buoyed by narrow chutes, moves in an unpredictable fashion.

From Los Angeles Times

If he hadn’t put his hand in the mail chute, his fiancee might have stayed.

From Los Angeles Times

The caves are located under an avalanche chute and are extremely dangerous.

From Seattle Times

While assigned to a machine that churns chicken droppings into compost, his right leg got pulled into a chute with a large spiraling augur.

From Seattle Times