shelf

American  

[shelf] / ʃɛlf /

noun

plural

shelves

1. a thin slab of wood, metal, etc., fixed horizontally to a wall or in a frame, for supporting objects.

2. the contents of this.

   a shelf of books.

3. a surface or projection resembling this; ledge.

4. Physical Geography.

   1. a sandbank or submerged extent of rock in the sea or river.

   2. the bedrock underlying an alluvial deposit or the like.

   3. continental shelf.

5. Archery. the upper part of the bow hand, on which the arrow rests.

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idioms

1. off the shelf, readily available from merchandise in stock.

   Any of those parts can be purchased off the shelf.

2. on the shelf,

   1. put aside temporarily; postponed.

   2. inactive; useless.

   3. without prospects of marriage, as after having broken an engagement.

shelf British  

/ ʃɛlf /

noun

1. a thin flat plank of wood, metal, etc, fixed horizontally against a wall, etc, for the purpose of supporting objects

2. something resembling this in shape or function

3. the objects placed on a shelf, regarded collectively

   a shelf of books

4. a projecting layer of ice, rock, etc, on land or in the sea See also continental shelf

5. mining a layer of bedrock hit when sinking a shaft

6. archery the part of the hand on which an arrow rests when the bow is grasped

7. See off the shelf

8. put aside or abandoned: used esp of unmarried women considered to be past the age of marriage

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verb

1. slang (tr) to inform upon

shelf Scientific  

/ shĕlf /

1. See continental shelf

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shelf More Idioms  

1. see off the shelf; on the shelf.

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Other Word Forms

• shelflike adjective

Etymology

Origin of shelf

1350–1400; Middle English; Old English scylfe; akin to Low German schelf shelf, Old Norse -skjalf bench

Example Sentences

Powerful forces are pushing the U.S. food industry to make what could be the biggest overhaul in decades to supermarket shelves.

From The Wall Street Journal

She said she had been standing on a chair and the accused was underneath her looking at a lower shelf.

From BBC

So I make sure she hears my coins clink into the money tin on her shelf.

From Literature

Alongside its shelves, you’ll find gifts, community programming, and the unmistakable feeling that this is a place built with intention.

From Salon

Unlike a lot of titles on the self-help shelves, Gilberg’s book promises no sly little hack to happiness, no “you’ve-been-thinking-about-this-all-wrong” twist.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• counter
• cupboard
• ledge
• rack