shaving

American  

[shey-ving] / ˈʃeɪ vɪŋ /

noun

1. Often shavings. a very thin piece or slice, especially of wood.

2. the act of a person or thing that shaves.

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shaving British  

/ ˈʃeɪvɪŋ /

noun

1. a thin paring or slice, esp of wood, that has been shaved from something

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1. used when shaving the face, etc

   shaving cream

Etymology

Origin of shaving

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at shave, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Forgiveness is posthumously granted through cinema, shaving away anything unpleasant that is no longer necessary to dwell on.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Crews made a temporary quick fix by shaving off the lifted section of the highway to reduce bumps felt by motorists.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

While shaving her year-end forecast from $5,200 to $5,000, Teves stays just above the analyst consensus of $4,844.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

"If people asked what had happened, I would joke about a shaving mishap rather than admit the real reason."

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

He put down his shaving brush and opened the medicine cabinet.

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger

Related Words

• dose
• fragment
• item
• part
• portion
• sample
• shard
• slice
• sliver
• snippet
• taste
• trace