/ ʃʌnt; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to move a train or a coach / car of a train from one track to another
2.
[+ adv. / prep. ] (usually disapproving ) to move sb/sth to a different place, especially a less important one :
John was shunted sideways to a job in sales.
■ noun
1.
( BrE , informal ) a road accident in which one vehicle crashes into the back of another
2.
( medical ) a small tube put in your body in a medical operation to allow the blood or other fluid to flow from one place to another
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense move suddenly aside ): perhaps from shun .