nut
edible seed in a hard shell
A small hard seed that you can eat, often with a shell around it, like an almond or a walnut.
eat [nuts]; a handful of [nuts]
- She sprinkled chopped nuts over the ice cream.
- Many schools ban nuts because of allergy risks.
- I always keep a bag of mixed nuts in my desk.
- Pistachios are my favorite kind of nut.
- The recipe calls for one cup of ground nuts.
- I ate some nuts as a snack.
- He is allergic to nuts.
- She put nuts in the cake.
- These nuts taste very fresh.
- We bought almonds and other nuts at the market.
metal fastener used with bolt
A small piece of metal with a hole and threads inside that you screw onto a bolt to hold things together.
tighten the [nut] on [something]
- He used a wrench to tighten the nuts on the wheel.
- Make sure all the nuts and bolts are secure before using the ladder.
- This joint needs a lock nut so it doesn’t come loose.
- The mechanic replaced three broken nuts on the engine mount.
- You’ll need a 10‑millimeter socket for that nut.
- He turned the nut with a tool.
- The nuts and bolts hold the parts together.
- Check that every nut is tight.
- She lost the nut from the screw.
- We need a new nut for this bolt.
person who seems crazy
An informal word for a person who acts very strange or crazy.
[someone] is a [real] nut
- He’s a complete nut if he thinks that plan will work.
- Only a nut would jump into water that cold.
- Some people think she’s a bit of a nut, but she’s actually very smart.
- The internet is full of conspiracy nuts these days.
- Don’t listen to him—he’s a total nut when it comes to money.
- My friends say I am a nut because I tell crazy jokes.
- He drove so fast; I thought he was a nut.
- People called her a nut, but she did not care.
- They think he is a nut for leaving his job.
- Only a nut would swim in that cold river.
person very keen on something
A person who really loves and is very interested in one thing, like cars, music, or sports.
[a/an] [topic] nut
- He’s a real car nut and spends every weekend working on his old Mustang.
- I’m a bit of a health nut, so I try to avoid sugar.
- She’s a movie nut and has seen that film three times.
- As a tech nut, he always buys the newest gadgets.
- If you’re a sports nut, you’ll love this channel.
- My brother is a sports nut and watches every game.
- She is a music nut and listens to songs all day.
- I am a computer nut and like to build PCs.
- He is a health nut and eats only fresh food.
- They call her a book nut because she reads so much.
testicle (vulgar slang)
A very rude slang word for a man’s testicle, usually said as "nuts".
kick [someone] in the nuts
- He doubled over after getting hit in the nuts during the game.
- Wear a cup to protect your nuts when you play baseball.
- He joked that one more child and he’d get his nuts cut off.
- He got hit in the nuts and fell down.
- Players wear special guards to protect their nuts.
- The ball hit him in the nuts during the match.
head (informal, esp. BrE)
An informal word for your head, especially in British English.
use your nut; bang your nut
- Use your nut and think about it for a minute.
- He slipped on the ice and banged his nut on the pavement.
- If you’re not careful, you’ll get your nut knocked off in this sport.
- He took the corner too fast and nearly lost his nut on the door frame.
- He hit his nut on the table.
- Use your nut and find the answer.
- She hurt her nut when she fell.
- He told his friend to use his nut in class.
hit with the head (headbutt)
To hit a person or thing with your head on purpose.
nut [someone/something]
- The player was sent off for nutting his opponent.
- He accidentally nutted the door as he stood up.
- She tried to nut the ball into the goal.
- If he tries that again, I’ll nut him right back.
- The football player nutted his opponent and got a red card.
- He stood up quickly and nutted the shelf.
- She nutted the ball into the net.
- Do not nut people; it is dangerous.
ejaculate semen (vulgar slang)
A very rude slang word meaning for a man to release semen during sex.
nut during sex; nut in [someone]
- He was afraid he would nut too early.
- The lyrics are full of crude lines about nutting on people.
- They were joking about how often he nuts in a week.
- He said he might nut too fast.
- The song uses the word "nut" in a sexual way.
- This word is very rude and talks about when a man nuts during sex.
required or target money amount
An informal word for the money you must get to pay your costs or reach your goal, often every month.
cover your nut; make your nut
- The bar needs to make at least $3,000 a night just to hit its nut.
- Once we cover our monthly nut, everything else is profit.
- His personal nut is pretty high because of his mortgage and car payments.
- The small shop must make enough money to cover its nut.
- After he paid his nut, he had very little left.
- Their nut is lower now because they moved to a cheaper office.
ridge on neck of instrument
On a guitar, violin, or similar instrument, the small part at the top of the neck that holds the strings in place and sets their spacing.
adjust the [instrument] nut
- The guitar’s nut is worn and needs replacing.
- A high nut can make the strings hard to press down.
- He upgraded his bass with a new bone nut for better tone.
- The luthier carefully filed the nut slots to the correct depth.
- The guitar nut holds the strings at the top of the neck.
- He changed the plastic nut to a bone nut.
- If the nut is too high, the strings are hard to play.
- A broken nut can make the instrument buzz.
- Base: nut
- Plural: nuts
- Base: nut
- 3rd Person Singular: nuts
- Present Participle: nutting
- Past: nutted
- Irregular present participle: nutting Verb
- Irregular past: nutted Verb
be nuts about [something]
1like something very much
To like someone or something very, very much.
- He’s nuts about jazz music and goes to every concert.
- She’s completely nuts about her new puppy.
make your nut
1earn enough to cover costs
To earn enough money to pay your basic costs or reach your money goal.
- The club has to fill 200 seats a night just to make its nut.
- Once we make our nut, we can start offering discounts.
nut out [something]
1work out a solution by discussion
To talk and think carefully about something until you find an answer or plan, especially in Australian or British English.
- We need to nut out the details before we sign the contract.
- They spent hours nutting out a fair agreement.
off one’s nut
1acting crazy or insane
To be crazy or to act in a very strange or foolish way.
- You must be off your nut if you think that’s a good idea.
- People said he was off his nut for quitting such a good job.
tough nut to crack
1very difficult person or problem
A person or problem that is very hard to deal with or understand.
- This math problem is a tough nut to crack.
- She’s a tough nut to crack—you never know what she’s thinking.
use your nut
1think carefully, use your brain
To think carefully and use your brain, especially in informal British English.
- Come on, use your nut—you can solve this!
- If you used your nut more often, you’d make fewer mistakes.
from soup to nuts
1including everything, start to finish
Including everything, from the beginning to the end.
- The company handled the event from soup to nuts.
- We planned our holiday from soup to nuts in just one evening.
from soup to nuts
2from beginning to end, everything
Including everything, from the first part to the last part.
- The tour covers the city from soup to nuts in just one day.
- Our service handles your move from soup to nuts, so you don't have to worry.
- She planned the wedding from soup to nuts without a professional planner.
nuts and bolts
1basic practical details
The "nuts and bolts" of something are its basic, practical details, especially how it really works or is done.
- Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of the project.
- The first part of the course covers the nuts and bolts of project management.
- The course covers the nuts and bolts of web design.
- We need to talk about the nuts and bolts of the plan before we present it.
- She understands the theory, but he knows the nuts and bolts of running the business.