nut
nut — verb
1. to deliberately hit someone with the front or top of your head, especially as a
to deliberately hit someone with the front or top of your head, especially as a violent attack during a fight or argument
Owen nutted the man who had insulted his girlfriend at the pub.
informal: nut + person for headbutting in a fight
During the fight outside the nightclub, Hyun was nutted by one of the bouncers.
passive: be nutted by [someone]
Sirin threatened to nut anyone who tried to steal her phone on the train.
The referee sent Tunde off the pitch after he nutted another player.
- headbutt
the more standard term in neutral and formal contexts; 'nut' is slangier and more informal
文法句型
nut + noun/pronoun (person)
用法筆記
This meaning is informal and mainly used in British English. It describes a violent action in fights or aggressive confrontations between two people.
常見錯誤
2. to search for and collect nuts from trees or the ground, especially as an outdoo
to search for and collect nuts from trees or the ground, especially as an outdoor activity in autumn
In the past, village children would go nutting in the woods every autumn.
go + nutting (gerund form of the verb)
Kabir and his grandfather went nutting for hazelnuts along the riverbank.
go + nutting + for [type of nut]
The old autumn tradition of nutting in the forest has almost completely died out.
Minho remembered going nutting with his grandmother when he was six years old.
文法句型
go + nutting
nut + for + type of nut
用法筆記
This meaning is old-fashioned and rarely used in modern English. The phrase 'go nutting' may still appear in historical writing, folk songs, or rural dialects.
nut — noun
1. Small dry fruits with a hard outer shell that grow on trees and can be eaten. Co
Small dry fruits with a hard outer shell that grow on trees and can be eaten. Common examples include walnuts, almonds, cashews, and chestnuts.
Linh added some crushed walnuts and almonds to the salad for extra crunch.
countable noun: a crushed / sliced / whole nut
The children collected fallen chestnuts from under the big tree in the park.
Caio is allergic to peanuts, so he always reads the ingredients carefully before buying snacks.
Salma roasted a mix of cashews and pecans for the holiday party.
This granola bar contains hazelnuts, dried fruit, and a small amount of honey.
文法句型
a + nut
the + nut(s)
nut(s) + of + tree/plant
常見錯誤
2. A compact ring-like item with a threaded centre, designed to twist onto a bolt s
A compact ring-like item with a threaded centre, designed to twist onto a bolt so that parts stay connected.
Christopher tightened the nut onto the bolt with a wrench from his toolbox.
collocation: tighten a nut
The mechanic replaced the rusted nuts and bolts under the car's engine cover.
fixed phrase: nuts and bolts
Luca held the metal nut steady while his father turned the screw from above.
You need a socket set to loosen the nut holding the bicycle wheel in place.
- fastener
broader category that includes nuts, bolts, screws, and clips
- threaded ring
technical term for a round nut; less common in everyday speech
文法句型
a + nut
nut(s) + and + bolt(s)
用法筆記
Often appears in the fixed expression 'nuts and bolts,' which is also used metaphorically to mean the basic practical details of a system or task.
常見錯誤
3. A deeply insulting term directed at a person living with a psychiatric condition
A deeply insulting term directed at a person living with a psychiatric condition, suggesting they are dangerous or incapable of rational thought.
'Don't call him a nut — that is cruel and disrespectful,' the teacher told her class.
DO NOT USE — shown so learners can recognise this offensive term
The campaign aims to stop people from using words like 'nut' to describe mental illness.
That old television show uses 'nut' as a cheap joke about someone who behaves unusually.
Calling a person with depression 'a nut' shows a complete lack of understanding and respect.
文法句型
call + someone + a nut
用法筆記
STRONG WARNING — This sense is a slur against people with mental health conditions and causes real harm. It should never be used, even in jokes among friends. Use 'person with a mental health condition' or 'someone living with depression / anxiety / etc.' instead. This entry is included only so that learners can recognise the word and avoid using it.
常見錯誤
4. A mildly teasing label for someone doing foolish or amusingly peculiar things, w
A mildly teasing label for someone doing foolish or amusingly peculiar things, without causing real harm.
Saira's brother is such a nut — he put his shoes on the wrong feet again.
informal: 'such a nut'
Some nut tried to pay for a bus ticket with a handful of foreign coins.
Talia laughed and called herself a nut after walking into the wrong classroom by mistake.
A complete nut in the stands kept shouting funny comments during the whole match.
文法句型
be + a + nut
a + nut + relative clause
用法筆記
Unlike sense 3, this sense is NOT directed at mental health. It is a lighthearted, mildly teasing term for someone doing something silly. However, tone and context matter — some people may still find it unkind if used too harshly.
5. A person with an exceptionally strong passion for a specific hobby, pastime, or
A person with an exceptionally strong passion for a specific hobby, pastime, or area of knowledge.
Hannah is a real history nut who visits old museums and castles every weekend.
pattern: a [interest] nut
Hugo's father is a gardening nut — he grows forty types of tomatoes in his yard.
My uncle is a car nut — his garage has vintage sports cars he restored himself.
Christopher is a fitness nut who goes to the gym every morning before sunrise.
Saira is a total photography nut and takes her camera on every trip.
- enthusiast
neutral and more formal; lacks the playful tone of 'nut'
- fanatic
stronger and can sound negative; implies excessive devotion
- buff
similar register; common in American English ('history buff')
文法句型
a + noun + nut
be + a + nut + for/about + noun/-ing
用法筆記
Used before a noun describing the interest — e.g., 'a chess nut,' 'a film nut,' 'a music nut.' The tone is admiring or mildly teasing, never insulting. Similar to 'fanatic' but less intense and more friendly.
常見錯誤
6. A person's head, especially when used in informal expressions about being hit or
A person's head, especially when used in informal expressions about being hit or acting strangely.
Yasmin slipped on the wet floor and hit her nut against the table edge.
slang: hit one's nut
Caio got a sharp knock on the nut from a low-hanging tree branch while hiking.
Linh's friends said she was off her nut for running a marathon in the rain.
The comedian removed his hat and pointed at a bald spot on his nut.
文法句型
possessive + nut
off + possessive + nut
用法筆記
This sense is British slang. It appears most often in set expressions such as 'off one's nut' (acting crazy) and 'a knock on the nut' (a blow to the head). It is NOT used in formal or medical contexts — use 'head' instead.
常見錯誤
7. the total amount of money a business, theatre, or similar operation must earn in
the total amount of money a business, theatre, or similar operation must earn in a given period just to pay all its expenses — the minimum needed to avoid losing money.
Arjun calculated the monthly nut for his new café and realised he needed more funding.
collocation: monthly nut
The theatre company must earn enough each week to meet the nut before anyone gets paid.
collocation: meet the nut
When the rent went up, the little shop's nut increased by fifteen percent overnight.
Hui asked the accountant whether the business had covered its nut for the quarter.
- overhead
broader term covering all ongoing business expenses, often used in the plural
- running costs
everyday operational expenses rather than the break-even target
- profit
the money left after the nut has been covered
文法句型
cover the nut
meet the nut
用法筆記
This sense is informal and used mainly in business contexts, especially when talking about break-even costs for a small business, theatre production, or creative project. The noun is usually singular.
常見錯誤
8. a small component made of bone, plastic, or ebony that sits where the neck meets
a small component made of bone, plastic, or ebony that sits where the neck meets the head of a guitar, violin, or similar string instrument, with grooves cut into it that guide the strings and keep them at the right height.
The luthier carved a new bone nut for Aoi's guitar after the old one split.
material: bone nut
Mert replaced the plastic nut on his violin with an ebony one to improve the tone.
A poorly cut nut makes the strings difficult to press near the first fret.
If the nut is too low, the strings may buzz against the guitar's fretboard when played.
用法筆記
This is a specialist term used by musicians, luthiers, and instrument repair technicians. Common materials for the nut include bone, plastic, ebony, and brass.
常見錯誤
9. the section at the handle end of a bow used for violin, viola, or cello — the ar
the section at the handle end of a bow used for violin, viola, or cello — the area opposite the tip, where a screw mechanism lets the player adjust the tightness of the horsehair.
The nut on Ife's cello bow came loose just before the orchestra rehearsal started.
To tighten the bow hair, turn the nut at the lower end clockwise until it feels firm.
instruction: tightening the bow nut
The violin bow's nut was made of ebony with a small mother-of-pearl inlay.
Constanza applied a drop of oil to the bow's nut to keep the screw moving smoothly.
- frog
the standard term for the entire bottom part of the bow; 'nut' refers specifically to the adjustable piece within the frog
用法筆記
Only applies to bows used with instruments of the violin family. The nut contains a screw mechanism that controls the tension of the bow hair. Do not confuse this with the nut at the top of the instrument's neck (sense 8).
常見錯誤
10. (extremely offensive in polite contexts) a man's testicle — almost always used i
(extremely offensive in polite contexts) a man's testicle — almost always used in the plural form 'nuts' in everyday speech.
The referee sent off the player who deliberately kicked his opponent in the nuts.
vulgar slang: kick in the nuts
Teenagers in the locker room sometimes use crude words like 'nuts' to sound funny.
Reema's younger brother got a detention for saying the word 'nuts' to the substitute teacher during science class.
Zuri's older brother winced and grabbed his nuts after the football hit him in the wrong place.
用法筆記
⚠️ This sense is vulgar slang and highly offensive in nearly all social contexts. Never use it in polite, professional, academic, or formal situations. The plural form 'nuts' is the most common in actual speech. The singular 'nut' is far less frequent but carries the same offensiveness.
常見錯誤
11. a problem, task, or situation that is very difficult to solve, understand, or de
a problem, task, or situation that is very difficult to solve, understand, or deal with.
Learning to play the piano was a tough nut for Tomás, but he practised every day.
idiom: a tough nut (to crack)
The detective knew the case would be a hard nut to crack without more evidence.
full idiom: a hard nut to crack
Getting both sides to agree on the contract terms proved to be a real nut.
This maths problem is a tough nut — even the teacher struggled to solve it.
文法句型
a [adjective] nut to crack
用法筆記
Often appears in the fixed expression 'a hard / tough nut to crack', meaning a problem that is stubbornly difficult to solve. The phrase can also refer to a person who is difficult to understand or persuade, though that usage is now more commonly covered by the 'strange person' senses of 'nut'.