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

“Production at the North West Shelf Project is expected to recommence after Woodside is able to mobilize its workforce to its offshore facilities,” the person said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

In 2022, the researchers traveled aboard the now-decommissioned U.S. icebreaker, the Nathaniel B. Palmer, to the Dotson Ice Shelf in the Amundsen Sea of West Antarctica.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

No, that would probably be the Elf on the Shelf support group or the “Love is Blind” reunion.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 21, 2025

Just up the coast from Ningaloo is one of the world's largest fossil fuel projects, the North West Shelf gas plant.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025

Top Shelf Spirits and Wine is the only business with broken windows.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

Related Words

• counter
• cupboard
• ledge
• rack