Word: Nut

Pronunciation

/nuːt/

Definitions

• Noun: A small, hard-shelled seed that typically contains a kernel or edible meat inside. E.g., “She cracked open a walnut and ate the nut.”

  • Also, slang for a person’s head: “He hit him on the nut with a baseball bat.”
  • Metaphorical use can refer to a person who is crazy or eccentric: “My uncle is a bit of a nut when it comes to collecting antique clocks.”
  • In machinery, a nut is a fastener with a threaded hole that mates with a bolt or screw. E.g., “Tighten the nut to secure the bolts.”

• Verb: (informal) To go nuts means to become very excited or enthusiastic. E.g., “The kids will nut when they see the presents under the tree.”

  • Alternatively, to ‘nut something’ can mean to hit with the head, usually in sports contexts. E.g., “He managed to nut the ball into the top corner of the goal.”

Phrases

• “Go nuts”: to become extremely excited or start behaving wildly.
• “Hard nut to crack”: referring to something or someone difficult to understand or deal with.
• “Nut out”: (informal) to think through or solve a problem.

Example Sentences

• Noun (seed): “Squirrels hoard acorns and other nuts for winter.”
• Noun (head): “She accidentally bumped her nut on the cupboard door.”
• Noun (person): “Despite his quirky habits, he’s a genius; a real nut in the field of robotics.”
• Verb: “When the band started playing their hit song, the crowd just went nuts.”

Synonyms

• Seed (in the context of a plant seed)
• Kernel (the edible part within a nut)
• Bolt (in the mechanical sense)
• Crazy (slang for a person who behaves unusually)
• Enthusiastic (when using the phrase ‘go nuts’)
• Mad (as in ‘a mad person’, informal equivalent to ‘nut’ in slang)
• Noddle (colloquial for head)

Note: The various meanings of “nut” have different synonyms depending on their specific context.