Meaning trap

shut down

close a business or system

To stop operating a business, machine, or system, either temporarily or permanently.

phrasal verbB1common

Don't mix these meanings

Same phrase, different job.

close a business or system

To stop operating a business, machine, or system, either temporarily or permanently.

shut down (stop talking or reacting emotionally)

Another meaning of 'shut down' is 'stop talking or reacting emotionally'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

The company had to shut down its factory due to financial problems.work
If my favorite local shop shut down, I would miss it a lot because I go there almost every day.IELTS speaking

Pattern: shut down [something] / shut [something] down

WrongThe power cut shut down it.

RightThe power cut shut it down.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'shut it down', never 'shut down it'.

Patternshut down [something] / shut [something] down

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff The factory ceased its operations permanently.

Natural They shut the factory down for good.

'Shut down' is the everyday verb for closing a business or system; 'ceased its operations' is corporate/legal.

Words that usually travel with it.

'Shut down' is stronger than 'close'—it often means stopping something completely, not just for a short time.

shut down (stop talking or reacting emotionally) — Another meaning of 'shut down' is 'stop talking or reacting emotionally'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.