shelf

[shelf]

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.

shelf

/ 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

verb

1. slang,  (tr) to inform upon

shelf

1. See continental shelf

Other Word Forms

• shelflike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shelf¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of shelf¹

Old English scylfe ship's deck; related to Middle Low German schelf shelf, Old English scylf crag

Idioms and Phrases

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.

see off the shelf; on the shelf.

Example Sentences

This is where inventory is stored on thousands of yellow shelves, each 5 feet square at the base and 8 feet tall.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Others, such as chocolate maker Hershey, have said that they are stepping up innovation as they compete for supermarket shelf space.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The food industry rushed to respond, and soon grocery store shelves were lined with low-fat snacks—often sugary and highly processed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

What’s different about the spread of generational phrases now is how social media can quickly amplify them but also give them a relatively short shelf life.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The FDA is well-positioned to ensure safety, not to decide which drugs work well enough to deserve a place on the shelf.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• counter 
• cupboard 
• ledge 
• rack