verb / interjection
shoo
SHOO/ʃuː/
Drive away with sounds, gestures, or commands.
She shoos the pigeons away with a wave of the towel.
Etymology
The earlier cry shou was used to drive hens away. Its use as a verb turned the call into the name of the action, now also performed by waving rather than calling.
In context
she waved her hand to shoo them away
More examples
- Shoo, he says, waving the cat off the chair.
- They shooed the chickens out of the garden.
- He was shooing flies from the food.
Forms
shoo · shoos · shooed · shooing
Similar words
- chase
- Drive away by pursuing.
- scare off
- Cause something to leave through fear.