shelve
To furnish with shelvesTo furnish (a place) with shelves; especially, to furnish (a library, etc.) with bookshelves.
» The supermarket shelves were almost empty.
Полки супермаркета были почти пусты.
Meaning
11 senses(transitive)To furnish (a place) with shelves; especially, to furnish (a library, etc.) with bookshelves.
to shelve a closet or a library
(transitive)To place (something) on a shelf; especially, to place or arrange (books) on a bookshelf.
The library needs volunteers to help shelve books.
place on a shelf
To place (something) in a certain location, as if on a shelf.
(figuratively, slang, transitive)To take (drugs) by anal or vaginal insertion.
(Wales, figuratively, slang, transitive)To have sex with (someone).
To set aside (something), as if on a shelf.
(figuratively, transitive)To postpone or put aside, or entirely cease dealing with (a matter for discussion, a project, etc.).
They shelved the entire project when they heard how much it would cost.
(also, figuratively, reflexive, transitive)To remove (someone) from active service.
(intransitive)To extend via a series of projecting shelves.
(UK, dialectal, transitive)To tilt or tip (a cart) to discharge its contents.
(intransitive)Of land or a surface: to incline, to slope.
(intransitive, obsolete)To hang over or project like a shelf; to overhang.
(intransitive, obsolete)To be in an inclined or sloping position.
Examples
139 sentencesThe supermarket shelves were almost empty.
ruПолки супермаркета были почти пусты. — marafon
Tom is stocking the shelves now.
There's nothing new on the shelves.
These plans have been shelved indefinitely.
Did you look on the shelves?
Translations
3 languagesOrigin
The verb is a back-formation from shelves, the plural of shelf (“flat, rigid structure, fiThe verb is a back-formation from shelves, the plural of shelf (“flat, rigid structure, fixed at right angles to a wall or forming a part of a cabinet, desk, etc., and used to display, store, or support objects”).
From Late Middle English shelven (“to separate (someone or something) from another thing, keep away”); further etymology uncertain, possibly:
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
shelves, shelving, shelved, shelvedSynonyms
108 synonymsAntonyms
2 antonymsWord family
8 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle