(a building designed to give) protection from bad weather, danger, or attack

an air-raid shelter 防空洞

They opened a shelter to provide temporary housing for the city's homeless. 他们开设了一个收容所，为该市的无家可归者提供临时的住宿。

The trees gave/provided some shelter from the rain. 这些树遮了一些雨。

to protect yourself from bad weather, danger, or attack

We took shelter for the night in an abandoned house. 我们在一所废弃的房子里避了一夜。

to protect yourself, or another person or thing, from bad weather, danger, or attack

We were caught in a thunderstorm, without anywhere to shelter. 我们遇上了雷暴雨，没有避雨的地方。

A group of us were sheltering from the rain under the trees. 我们一群人在树下避雨。

to give someone a secret hiding place so that they will not be caught by the army, police, etc.

Local people risked their own lives to shelter resistance fighters from the army. 当地的人们冒着生命危险，为抵抗组织的战士提供避难所，使其免遭军队逮捕。

If you shelter income, you legally avoid paying taxes on it.

Their accountant suggested some novel ways of sheltering their retirement income. 他们的会计师提出了一些新方法，可帮他们合法规避退休收入税。