horseshoe

[ hawrs-shoo, hawrsh- ]

noun

1. a U -shaped metal plate, plain or with calks, nailed to a horse's hoof to protect it from being injured by hard or rough surfaces.
2. something U -shaped, as a valley, river bend, or other natural feature:

   We picnicked in the middle of a horseshoe of trees.

3. horseshoes, (used with a singular verb) a game in which horseshoes or other U -shaped pieces of metal, plastic, etc., are tossed at an iron stake 30 or 40 feet (9 or 12 meters) away in order to encircle it or to come closer to it than one's opponent.

verb (used with object)

, horse·shoed, horse·shoe·ing.

1. to put a horseshoe or horseshoes on.

adjective

1. having the shape of a horseshoe; U -shaped:

   a horseshoe bend in the river.

horseshoe

/ ˈhɔːsˌʃuː /

noun

1. a piece of iron shaped like a U with the ends curving inwards that is nailed to the underside of the hoof of a horse to protect the soft part of the foot from hard surfaces: commonly thought to be a token of good luck
2. an object of similar shape

verb

1. tr to fit with a horseshoe; shoe

Other Words From

• horseshoer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of horseshoe¹

1350–1400; Middle English. See horse, shoe

Example Sentences

A couple of reader submissions offered pointers on how to hack the horseshoe from hell — the permanently gridlocked U-shaped route past all of the terminals at Los Angeles International Airport.

From Los Angeles Times

A kobuvirus that infected civets in the Huanan market was closely related to a virus detected in animals sold in Sichuan and Guangxi provinces, which are closer to the territory of horseshoe bats and pangolins.

From Los Angeles Times

In his article, Carlos, the researcher, said the asteroid would instead follow a “horseshoe path.”

From Los Angeles Times

The 2.25-mile elevated train is expected to improve the traffic-choked horseshoe loop at 1 World Way by offering a new alternative for people to get in and out of LAX.

From Los Angeles Times

Transit experts and airport officials believe it will significantly ease traffic in the gridlocked horseshoe loop of 1 World Way by shuttling people between terminals, parking lots and a new consolidated rental car facility.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arc
• arch
• contour
• loop
• trajectory