I. shel ‧ ter 1 W3 /ˈʃeltə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: Perhaps from sheltron 'group of fighting soldiers protected by shields' (11-16 centuries) , from Old English scieldtruma , from scield 'shield' + truma 'group of soldiers' ]
1 . [uncountable] a place to live, considered as one of the basic needs of life:
They are in need of food and shelter.
2 . [uncountable] protection from danger or from wind, rain, hot sun etc
shelter of
We reached the shelter of the caves.
in/into/under etc the shelter of something
They were standing under the shelter of a huge tree.
The men took shelter in a bombed-out farmhouse.
All around me, people were running for shelter.
shelter from
An old hut gave shelter from the storm.
3 . [countable] a building where people or animals that have nowhere to live or that are in danger can stay and receive help
shelter for
a shelter for battered women
a homeless shelter (=for people who have no homes)
an animal shelter
4 . [countable] a building or an area with a roof over it that protects you from the weather or from danger
air-raid/bomb/fall-out shelter (=a place to keep people safe from bombs dropped by planes)
bus shelter British English (=a small structure with a roof where you wait for a bus)
⇨ ↑ tax shelter
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ take shelter (=go into a place where you are protected from something)
When it started raining, they took shelter in a cave.
▪ find shelter
He slept wherever he could find shelter.
▪ seek shelter formal (=try to find shelter)
They sought shelter under the trees.
▪ run for shelter
The residents were running for shelter from the bombing.
▪ give/provide shelter
The trees gave shelter from the wind.
II. shelter 2 BrE AmE verb
1 . [transitive] to provide a place where someone or something is protected, especially from the weather or from danger:
Collins was arrested for sheltering enemy soldiers.
shelter somebody/something from somebody/something
Plant herbs next to a wall to shelter them from the wind.
2 . [intransitive] to stay in or under a place where you are protected from the weather or from danger
shelter from
We sat in the shade, sheltering from the sun.
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THESAURUS
▪ protect to keep someone or something safe from harm, damage, or illness:
Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.
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The government wants to protect the environment.
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Eating healthily helps to protect against many diseases.
▪ give/offer/provide protection to protect someone from something harmful:
Wearing a hat offers some protection from the sun.
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The drug can give protection against cancer.
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The law provides no protection.
▪ guard to protect a person, place, or object by staying near them and watching them:
Police officers guarded the entrance to the building.
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He is guarded by armed men.
▪ save to protect someone or something when they are in danger of being harmed or destroyed:
Local people are fighting to save the theatre from demolition.
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Emergency aid could save millions of people who are threatened with starvation.
▪ preserve to keep something, especially buildings or the environment, from being harmed, destroyed, or changed too much:
The organization works to preserve forests.
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There is little money for preserving historic buildings.
▪ safeguard to protect something important, such as people’s rights, interests, jobs, health etc:
The deal will safeguard 200 jobs at the factory.
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Laws should do more to safeguard the rights of victims.
▪ shield to put something in front of something else to protect it. Also used to talk about protecting people from unpleasant situations:
He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the light.
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They thought the public should be shielded from the truth.
▪ shelter to provide a place where someone or something is protected from the weather or from danger:
The village is sheltered by a belt of trees.
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His family had sheltered Jews during the war.
▪ harbour British English , harbor American English to help and protect someone who has done something illegal, and prevent the police from finding them:
He is accused of harbouring suspected terrorists.