Meaning & use
she-shed
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Meaning
nouncountableinformal
A small building or room, usually in a garden, that a woman uses as her own private space for hobbies or relaxing.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a she-shed' or 'she-sheds'.
Patterns
- a she-shed in the garden
- build a she-shed
- turn something into a she-shed
My aunt spends every sunny afternoon in her she-shed, painting watercolors.
They built a small she-shed at the back of the garden so she could have some peace and quiet.
The old tool shed was converted into a cozy she-shed with a sofa and a small heater.
Word forms
| plural | she-sheds |
|---|
Common combinations
- build a she-shed
- They decided to build a she-shed using a kit from the hardware store.
- a cozy she-shed
- She turned the empty shed into a cozy she-shed with fairy lights and cushions.
- in the she-shed
- He found her reading in the she-shed, completely unaware of the time.
- convert something into a she-shed
- We converted the old garage into a she-shed for my mother.
- a she-shed retreat
- Her she-shed retreat is where she goes to escape the noise of the house.
Synonyms and how they differ
- den
- A den is a room in a house used for relaxing or study, not a separate garden building.
- studio
- A studio is a room where an artist or musician works; it can be in a house or a separate building, but it is not specifically for a woman.
- retreat
- A retreat is a quiet, private place you go to rest or think; it can be any size or location, not just a shed.
Word family
- man cave noun
- A similar private space for a man, often with sports or hobby equipment.
- shed noun
- A small building used for storage or as a workshop; 'she-shed' is a specialized use of this word.
Commonly confused: she-shed or shed?
she-shed vs shed
'Shed' is a general word for a small building for tools or storage; 'she-shed' specifically means a woman's personal retreat.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'she-shed' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct answer is B because 'she-shed' refers to a woman's private space, often for hobbies or relaxing. An is wrong because 'she-shed' is not typically for storage of bicycles, and C is wrong because a she-shed is not a garage. D is wrong because it is not a flower.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “she-shed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.