shutdown

[shuht-doun]

noun

1. a shutting down, as of a factory, school, or machine; a termination or suspension of operations, services, or business activity.

   a partial government shutdown;

   an emergency shutdown of a nuclear reactor.

shutdown

/ ˈʃʌtˌdaʊn /

noun

1. 1. the closing of a factory, shop, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      shutdown costs

verb

1. to cease or cause to cease operation

2. (tr) to close by lowering

3. (tr) (of fog) to descend and envelop

4. informal,  (intr; foll by on or upon) to put a stop to; clamp down on

5. (tr) to reduce the power level of (a nuclear reactor) to the lowest possible value

Word History and Origins

Origin of shutdown¹

1855–60, noun use of verb phrase shut down

Example Sentences

The government shutdown halted data collection for economic indicators, potentially jeopardizing the October Consumer Price Index report.

Read more on Barron's

However, possibly due to the federal government shutdown, the agency did not respond to questions about the surfing-curious otter in Santa Cruz.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

If the government shutdown stretches beyond October, experts warn that Nov. 1 could mark a grim cutoff for low- and middle-income families.

Read more on MarketWatch

Traders and policymakers have been deprived of macroeconomic data as the government shutdown drags into a fourth week, and the White House said there likely wouldn’t be an October CPI report.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. government shutdown extended to 24 days, the second longest on record.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• closedown 
• closure 
• stoppage