verb
shunt
shuhnt
verb
1
To move something (often a train) onto a different track or path.
"The freight train was shunted onto a side track to let the express pass."
2
To divert something to a less important place or role.
"The complaint was shunted off to a junior staffer."
noun
1
A device or connection that provides an alternative path, such as for electric current or in the body.
"Doctors inserted a shunt to relieve pressure on the brain."
2
A minor traffic collision.
"She was in a small shunt on the motorway but wasn't hurt."
How to Use Shunt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo divert something onto another path — a train, electric current, body fluid, or blame — or a minor bump between cars.
UK vs US
"Shunt" for a minor car crash is chiefly British usage.
Word Forms
shunted past tense, shunts plural, shunts singular
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The freight train was _____ onto a side track to let the express pass.
Etymology
From Middle English words meaning "to jerk, swerve, dodge," possibly linked to "shun."