Shooed — Definition & Meaning

What does shooed mean?

“Shooed” is the past tense of “shoo,” meaning to make an animal or person go away. It is often used for situations involving a casual, slightly irritable command, as when someone says “shoo” to a cat, bird, or unwanted visitor. The word can also be figurative: a person may be shooed away from a meeting, a proposal, or a conversation. Its tone is generally informal and familiar rather than formal or severe. In everyday English, it suggests moving something away with little ceremony, often through a gesture, a sharp word, or both. “Shooed” is especially common in the expressions “shooed away” and “shooed out.”

verb

To make an animal or person go away by saying “shoo,” gesturing dismissively, or otherwise driving them off.

Example

"He shooed the pigeons away from the café tables."

Common in informal English; often implies a quick or impatient dismissal.

verb

To dismiss someone or reject something, especially in a perfunctory or cursory way.

Example

"The editor shooed the story away without reading it."

Figurative and often mildly negative, suggesting that the person or matter was rejected without serious consideration.

Did you know?

“Shooed” captures the wonderfully blunt human command for an unwanted visitor to leave.

Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.

Where does shooed come from?

The word comes from the interjection “shoo,” an expressive command used to send animals or people away. “Shoo” appears in English by the early 19th century and imitates a sharp or dismissive vocal sound. The verb developed directly from this established command, with “shooed” forming its usual past-tense form. The interjection is also sometimes represented by the spelling “shough,” but the modern standard form is “shoo.”

shoo