shoe

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   An outer covering for the foot, typically made of leather or another sturdy material.

   Grammar: Countable; usually used in the plural because shoes come in pairs: a pair of shoes.

   Patterns

   • a pair of shoes
   • put on shoes
   • take off shoes

   She bought a new pair of shoes for the wedding.

   These shoes are too tight; I need a larger size.

   He took off his shoes before entering the house.

2. 2nouncountablespecialist

   A horseshoe; a U-shaped metal plate nailed to a horse's hoof.

   Grammar: Often used in the plural: horseshoes.

   Patterns

   • a horse's shoe
   • put on a shoe

   The blacksmith fitted the horse with new shoes.

   A loose shoe can cause a horse to stumble.

3. 3nouncountabletechnical

   A part of a piece of equipment that protects or supports something, such as a brake shoe.

   Grammar: Used in technical contexts: brake shoe, shoe of an anchor.

   Patterns

   • brake shoe
   • shoe of an anchor

   The mechanic replaced the brake shoes on the car.

   The anchor's shoe was damaged.

Word forms

Common combinations

put on your shoes

Put on your shoes; we're leaving in five minutes.

take off your shoes

Please take off your shoes at the door.

a pair of shoes

I need to buy a new pair of shoes for work.

shoe size

What's your shoe size? I wear a 9.

in someone's shoes

If I were in your shoes, I would apologize.

Synonyms and how they differ

footwear

Footwear is a general term for shoes, boots, etc.; shoe is a specific item.

boot

A boot covers the foot and ankle; a shoe usually covers only the foot.

sneaker

A sneaker is a casual shoe for sports; shoe is the general word.

Word family

shoelace noun

A cord used to tie a shoe.

shoemaker noun

A person who makes shoes.

horseshoe noun

A U-shaped metal plate for a horse's hoof.

Commonly confused: shoe or show? shoe or shoo?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “shoe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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