From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishshut somebody in (something) phrasal verb1 if you shut someone in a room, you close the door and stop them from getting out Her parents shut her in an upstairs room. He pushed the dogs into the breakfast room and shut them in.2 shut yourself in (something) if you shut yourself in a room, you close the door and stay in there, and often stop other people from coming in Ellie darted back to her room and shut herself in. He shut himself in his room and wrote letters. → shut→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
shut in • One shut down in 1970, two more in 1972 and a fourth in 1974.• Down the street a gate creaked open then snapped shut.• She took one out and carried it up to her bedroom and shut herself in.• The countryside has been virtually shut down in a bid to contain the highly infectious disease.• He shut himself up in his palace and let matters go as they would.• We are prepared to be shut up in our homes for the few days until it is over.• She shut herself in out of the drizzling rain, and expressed her delight with everything.• Their umbrellas are neatly folded shut and placed in the stand at the entrance, the handles all facing the same direction.shut yourself in (something)• She took one out and carried it up to her bedroom and shut herself in.• So Ellie darted back to her room, and shut herself in, her heart pounding.• She took the report, told them all where to find her if necessary and shut herself in her office.• Saturday I went again, but she shut herself in her room.• Before every game, he shuts himself in his office for an hour and pores over the scouting reports.• She shut herself in out of the drizzling rain, and expressed her delight with everything.• Finally she shut herself in the attic room on Ella's day off and sobbed until she ached in body and soul.• Fuming, Christopher shut himself in the house.shut-inˈshut-in noun [countable] American English ILLsomeone who is ill or disabled and cannot leave their house very easilyExamples from the Corpus
shut-in• The office provides services for shut-ins and elderly people in Cook County. 