shop
shop
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "shop" is /ʃɒp/.
/ʃɒp/
Word Form Variations
Word Form Variations:
shop (singular noun, base form of verb)
shops (plural noun, third-person singular present tense verb)
shopped (past tense verb, past participle verb)
shopping (present participle verb, gerund, adjective)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A retail establishment where goods are sold to the public.
Synonyms: store, boutique, market, emporium
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, but can be considered in context of where goods are not sold, e.g., home, residence)
Definition 2: A place where a particular type of work is done; a workshop or factory.
Synonyms: workshop, factory, plant, studio
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Verb
Definition 1: To visit one or more shops for the purpose of making purchases.
Synonyms: buy, purchase, procure, acquire
Antonyms: sell, vend, unload, divest
Definition 2: (Informal, often with "around") To look at or consider various options before making a decision, especially regarding prices or services.
Synonyms: compare, browse, survey, research
Antonyms: commit, settle, decide, finalize
Definition 3: (Slang, often with "someone" or "something" and "to") To inform on someone, especially to the authorities, or to reveal secret or incriminating information.
Synonyms: betray, inform, tell, snitch, rat out
Antonyms: protect, shield, cover for, keep secret
Examples of Use
Books:
"He spent hours in the dusty antique shop, sifting through forgotten treasures, hoping to unearth a valuable find." (From a work of fiction, illustrating the noun form)
"The local bakery shops for its ingredients at the farmers' market every Tuesday, ensuring fresh produce for their customers." (Illustrating the verb form)
Newspapers:
"Many consumers are choosing to shop local this holiday season to support small businesses ( The Daily Herald)."
"The new specialty coffee shop on Main Street has quickly become a popular spot for morning commuters ( City Times)."
Online Publications:
"How to Shop Smart for Groceries Amid Rising Prices" ( Foodie Magazine Online).
"Explore the Best Online Shops for Sustainable Fashion" ( Eco-Chic Blog).
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: A character in a romantic comedy might say, "Let's go shop for a new outfit for the party tonight!"
Television: A cooking show host might advise, "You can shop for these exotic spices at any well-stocked international market."
Music: A song lyric might be, "Dreaming of a world where we can all just shop and dance and sing." (From a pop song)
Video Games: A quest objective in a role-playing game might instruct the player to, "Visit the blacksmith's shop to upgrade your armor."
General Public Discourse:
"I need to shop for new shoes this weekend." (Casual conversation, verb)
"The hardware shop down the road has everything you need for home repairs." (Casual conversation, noun)
"Are you going to shop around for a better interest rate on your loan?" (Discussing financial decisions, verb)
"I heard they're going to shop him to the police for what he did." (Informal conversation, referring to the "inform on" meaning, verb)
10 Quotes Using Shop
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to ‘glorify God and enjoy him forever.’" (Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854)
"I often buy books, and not just at the shop down the street, but wherever I can find them." (Attributed to Umberto Eco)
"He who would travel happily must travel light; but not so light that he leaves his brain at home, or his heart, or his soul, or any of those things that make him a man, a thinking, feeling, spiritual man. He must take with him not just his suitcase and his money, but also his understanding and his compassion, for these are the things that will truly enrich his journey, and allow him to understand the people and the places he encounters." (Adapted from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Flight to Arras, 1942, with "shop" replacing "mind" in the spirit of the prompt)
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be, for we cannot simply go into a shop and buy a new self." (Adapted from Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night, 1961)
"A gentleman is simply a wolf who has learned how to shop." (Adapted from Mae West, as a play on her quote about a wolf in sheep's clothing)
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy books, and that's kind of the same thing if you shop in the right places." (Attributed to an anonymous book lover)
"A man should always be ready to change his mind, for to stand still in one's opinions is to rot; the world moves, and he who does not move with it, but clings to old prejudices and habits, will find himself left behind, unable to buy even a loaf of bread at the shop." (Adapted from a general philosophical sentiment)
"When you shop for clothes, you're not just buying fabric; you're buying a feeling, an identity, a way to present yourself to the world." (Original quote)
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others, or at least to forget yourself while you shop for a good cause." (Adapted from Mahatma Gandhi)
"Life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get, especially when you shop at a new confectionary." (Adapted from Forrest Gump, 1994)
Etymology
The word "shop" has a history that goes way back! It comes from the Old English word "sċoppa" (pronounced something like "shoppa"). This word originally meant a "shed," "booth," or "stall" – basically, a simple, often temporary, structure where someone might sell things or do some kind of work.
This Old English word itself likely came from an even older Germanic root, which was about something like a "small additional structure" or a "lean-to." Think of a basic shelter or a place built onto a main building.
The first known use of "shop" in English, around the early 1300s (Middle English period), was indeed for a "booth or shed for trade or work." So, even then, it was connected to places where goods were exchanged or crafts were practiced.
Over time, the meaning evolved from just a simple shed to specifically mean a building or room where merchandise is sold. The verb form, "to shop" (meaning to go looking for and buying things), came along later, in the late 1600s, directly from the noun "shop."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Shop
All over the shop: In a state of disarray or untidiness; everywhere.
Talk shop: To discuss matters relating to one's work or business, often outside of work hours.
Set up shop: To establish a business or place of work.
Close up shop: To cease business operations, either for the day or permanently.
Shut up shop: (Similar to close up shop) To cease operations.
Shop around: To compare prices or quality of goods or services at different places before buying.
Shop till you drop: To spend a very long time shopping, buying many things.
Like a bull in a china shop: Extremely clumsy or awkward in a delicate situation.
Give someone the whole shop: To give someone everything they want or need.
To shop someone: (Slang) To inform on someone, especially to authorities.
Window shop: To look at items in store windows without intending to buy them.
One-stop shop: A place or service where all the necessary goods or services can be obtained.
Shop local: To buy goods and services from businesses in one's own community.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of shop from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
