shelf
[ shelf ]
/ ʃɛlf /
noun, plural shelves [shelvz] /ʃɛlvz/.
a thin slab of wood, metal, etc., fixed horizontally to a wall or in a frame, for supporting objects.
the contents of this: a shelf of books.
a surface or projection resembling this; ledge.
Physical Geography.
- a sandbank or submerged extent of rock in the sea or river.
- the bedrock underlying an alluvial deposit or the like.
- continental shelf.
Archery.
the upper part of the bow hand, on which the arrow rests.
Idioms for shelf
- put aside temporarily; postponed.
- inactive; useless.
- without prospects of marriage, as after having broken an engagement.
off the shelf,
readily available from merchandise in stock: Any of those parts can be purchased off the shelf.
on the shelf, Informal.
Origin of shelf
1350–1400; Middle English; Old English
scylfe; akin to Low German
schelf shelf, Old Norse
-skjalf bench
OTHER WORDS FROM shelf
shelf·like, adjectiveWords nearby shelf
shelbyville,
sheldon,
sheldrake,
shelduck,
shelepin,
shelf,
shelf angle,
shelf fungus,
shelf ice,
shelf life,
shelf mark
Example sentences from the Web for shelf
British Dictionary definitions for shelf
shelf
/ (ʃɛlf) /
noun plural shelves (ʃɛlvz)
verb
(tr) Australian slang
to inform upon
Derived forms of shelf
shelflike, adjectiveWord Origin for shelf
Old English
scylfe ship's deck; related to Middle Low German
schelf shelf, Old English
scylf crag
Scientific definitions for shelf
shelf
[ shĕlf ]
See continental shelf.
Idioms and Phrases with shelf
shelf
see off the shelf; on the shelf.