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Dwelling vs Shelter - What's the difference?

dwelling | shelter | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between dwelling and shelter

is that dwelling is a habitation; a place or house in which a person lives; abode; domicile while shelter is a refuge, haven or other cover or protection from something.

As verbs the difference between dwelling and shelter

is that dwelling is present participle of lang=en while shelter is to provide cover from damage or harassment; to shield; to protect.

dwelling

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) dwelling, . More at dwell.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A habitation; a place or house in which a person lives; abode; domicile.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
  • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=Foreword citation , passage=He turned back to the scene before him and the enormous new block of council dwellings . The design was some way after Corbusier but the block was built up on plinths and resembled an Atlantic liner swimming diagonally across the site.}}
    The old house served as a dwelling for Albert.
    Philip's dwelling fronted on the street. -
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * dwellinghouse * dwelling place * lake dwelling: prehistoric structure
    References
    *

    Etymology 2

    From .

    Verb

    (head)
  • I was dwelling in the cave.

    shelter

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A refuge, haven or other cover or protection from something.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1928, author=Lawrence R. Bourne
  • , title=Well Tackled! , chapter=7 citation , passage=The detective kept them in view. He made his way casually along the inside of the shelter until he reached an open scuttle close to where the two men were standing talking. Eavesdropping was not a thing Larard would have practised from choice, but there were times when, in the public interest, he had to do it, and this was one of them.}}
  • An institution that provides temporary housing for homeless people, battered women etc.
  • Derived terms

    * bus shelter

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To provide cover from damage or harassment; to shield; to protect.
  • * Dryden
  • Those ruins sheltered once his sacred head.
  • * Southey
  • You have no convents in which such persons may be received and sheltered .
  • To take cover.
  • During the rainstorm, we sheltered under a tree.