Dictionary
shop
Pronunciation: (shop), [key]
—n., v., shopped, shop•ping,
—interj.
—
n.
1. a retail store, esp. a small one.
2. a small store or department in a large store selling a specific or select type of goods:
the ski shop at Smith's.
3. the workshop of a craftsperson or artisan.
4. the workshop of a person who works in a manual trade; place for doing specific, skilled manual work:
a carpenter's shop.
5. any factory, office, or business:
Our ad agency is a well-run shop.
6. Educ.
a. a course of instruction in a trade, as carpentry, printing, etc., consisting chiefly of training in the use of its tools and materials.
b. a classroom in which such a course is given.
7. one's trade, profession, or business as a subject of conversation or preoccupation.
8. set up shop, to go into business; begin business operations:
to set up shop as a taxidermist.
9. shut up shop,
a. to close a business temporarily, as at the end of the day.
b. to suspend business operations permanently:
They couldn't make a go of it and had to shut up shop.
10. talk shop, to discuss one's trade, profession, or business:
After dinner we all sat around the table and talked shop.
—
v.i.
1. to visit shops and stores for purchasing or examining goods.
2. to seek or examine goods, property, etc., offered for sale:
Retail merchants often stock their stores by shopping in New York.
3. to seek a bargain, investment, service, etc. (usually fol. by
for):
I'm shopping for a safe investment that pays good interest.
—
v.t.
1. to seek or examine goods, property, etc., offered for sale in or by:
She's shopping the shoe stores this afternoon.
2. Chiefly Brit. Informal.
a. to put into prison; jail.
b. to behave treacherously toward; inform on; betray.
3. Slang.to try to sell (merchandise or a project) in an attempt to obtain an order or contract.
—
interj.
(used in a store, shop, etc., in calling an employee to wait on a customer.)
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
