To hide or retreat; to act defensively

Etymology:

  • From turtles, the way they go back into their shells when they think they are in danger.
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He felt so badly after the other boys teased him that he more or less went back into his shell and was never the same.

Submitted on July 07, 2010

Modified by TriplePurple on December 20, 2023

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    "go into one's shell." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/go-into-one's-shell_12690>.

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