shelf

S0332900 (shĕlf)n. pl. shelves (shĕlvz) 1. a. A flat, usually rectangular structure composed of a rigid material, such as wood, glass, or metal, fixed at right angles to a wall or other vertical surface and used to hold or store objects.b. The contents or capacity of such a structure.c. Something, such as a projecting ledge of rock or a balcony, that resembles such a structure.2. A reef, sandbar, or shoal.3. Bedrock.Idioms: off the shelf From ready-made merchandise in stock: supplies that were available off the shelf. on the shelf1. In a state of disuse or inactivity: The injured goalie has been on the shelf for weeks.2. Out of consideration: The finance bill is on the shelf until next year.

[Middle English, probably from Middle Low German schelf; see skel- in Indo-European roots.]

shelf′ful′ n.

shelf

(ʃɛlf) n, pl shelves (ʃɛlvz) 1. a thin flat plank of wood, metal, etc, fixed horizontally against a wall, etc, for the purpose of supporting objects2. something resembling this in shape or function3. the objects placed on a shelf, regarded collectively: a shelf of books. 4. (Geological Science) a projecting layer of ice, rock, etc, on land or in the sea. See also continental shelf5. (Mining & Quarrying) mining a layer of bedrock hit when sinking a shaft6. (Archery) archery the part of the hand on which an arrow rests when the bow is grasped7. (Commerce) See off the shelf8. on the shelf put aside or abandoned: used esp of unmarried women considered to be past the age of marriagevb (tr) slang Austral to inform upon[Old English scylfe ship's deck; related to Middle Low German schelf shelf, Old English scylf crag] ˈshelfˌlike adj

shelf

(ʃɛlf)

n., pl. shelves (shelvz). 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. a. a sandbank or submerged extent of rock in the sea or river. b. the bedrock underlying an alluvial deposit or the like. c. continental shelf. Idioms: 1. off the shelf, readily available from merchandise in stock. 2. on the shelf, a. put aside temporarily; postponed. b. inactive; useless. [1350–1400; Middle English; Old English scylfe; akin to Middle Low German schelf shelf, Old Norse -skjalf bench] shelf′like`, adj.

shelf

(shĕlf) See continental shelf.

shelf

Past participle: shelfed
Gerund: shelfing

Imperative
shelf
shelf

Present
I shelf
you shelf
he/she/it shelfs
we shelf
you shelf
they shelf

Preterite
I shelfed
you shelfed
he/she/it shelfed
we shelfed
you shelfed
they shelfed

Present Continuous
I am shelfing
you are shelfing
he/she/it is shelfing
we are shelfing
you are shelfing
they are shelfing

Present Perfect
I have shelfed
you have shelfed
he/she/it has shelfed
we have shelfed
you have shelfed
they have shelfed

Past Continuous
I was shelfing
you were shelfing
he/she/it was shelfing
we were shelfing
you were shelfing
they were shelfing

Past Perfect
I had shelfed
you had shelfed
he/she/it had shelfed
we had shelfed
you had shelfed
they had shelfed

Future
I will shelf
you will shelf
he/she/it will shelf
we will shelf
you will shelf
they will shelf

Future Perfect
I will have shelfed
you will have shelfed
he/she/it will have shelfed
we will have shelfed
you will have shelfed
they will have shelfed

Future Continuous
I will be shelfing
you will be shelfing
he/she/it will be shelfing
we will be shelfing
you will be shelfing
they will be shelfing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been shelfing
you have been shelfing
he/she/it has been shelfing
we have been shelfing
you have been shelfing
they have been shelfing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been shelfing
you will have been shelfing
he/she/it will have been shelfing
we will have been shelfing
you will have been shelfing
they will have been shelfing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been shelfing
you had been shelfing
he/she/it had been shelfing
we had been shelfing
you had been shelfing
they had been shelfing

Conditional
I would shelf
you would shelf
he/she/it would shelf
we would shelf
you would shelf
they would shelf

Past Conditional
I would have shelfed
you would have shelfed
he/she/it would have shelfed
we would have shelfed
you would have shelfed
they would have shelfed

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	shelf - a support that consists of a horizontal surface for holding objectsbookcase - a piece of furniture with shelves for storing booksbookshelf - a shelf on which to keep booksbuffet, sideboard, counter - a piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room; has shelves and drawerscabinet - a piece of furniture resembling a cupboard with doors and shelves and drawers; for storage or displaychest of drawers, dresser, bureau, chest - furniture with drawers for keeping clothescloset - a small private room for study or prayeretagere - a piece of furniture with open shelves for displaying small ornamentsfood market, grocery, grocery store, market - a marketplace where groceries are sold; "the grocery store included a meat market"hob - a shelf beside an open fire where something can be kept warmchimneypiece, mantel, mantelpiece, mantlepiece, mantle - shelf that projects from wall above fireplace; "in Britain they call a mantel a chimneypiece"overmantel - a shelf over a mantelpiecesupport - any device that bears the weight of another thing; "there was no place to attach supports for a shelf"
	2.	shelf - a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under waterledgeberm - a narrow ledge or shelf typically at the top or bottom of a sloperidge - a long narrow natural elevation or striation

shelf

noun shelving, rack, bookshelf, mantelpiece He took a book from the shelf.on the shelf unmarried, single, unwed, unwedded, spouseless I was afraid of getting left on the shelf.

Translations

架子陆棚

shelf

(ʃelf) – plural shelves (ʃelvz) – noun1. a board for laying things on. There are shelves on the kitchen walls.架子2. a rock surface shaped like a shelf, especially on a mountain or under water. 陆棚shelve (ʃelv) verb1. to put aside, usually for consideration, completion etc later. The project has been shelved for the moment.搁置2. to put up shelves in. 置于架上3. (of land) to slope gradually. The land shelves towards the sea. （逐渐）倾斜 on the shelf (of an unmarried woman) no longer likely to attract a man enough for him to want to marry her. 束之高阁的，无结婚希望的

shelf

→ 架子zhCN

shelf

top-shelf

1. Of a high, excellent, or superior quality. Jim was drinking top-shelf liquor all night on his birthday. I can't imagine the bar tab he must have racked up! My brother-in-law is always driving around town in the latest top-shelf car.2. Of or containing pornography. Few realize that the newspaper mogul got his start by distributing top-shelf magazines to newsagents in the '70s.

shelf life

The length of time that something is viable or useful. Milk has a very short shelf life, as it tends to expire quickly. I'm hoping that this product will have a very long shelf life and be useful for years to come.See also: life, shelf

put (one) on the shelf

To render someone unable or unavailable to do something. Sorry, I can't play in Saturday's game. My old knee injury flared up again and has put me on the shelf for a few weeks at least.See also: on, put, shelf

put (something) on the shelf

To delay something or put it on hiatus. Once my wife became pregnant, I knew I had to put my plans of starting my own business on the shelf for a while.See also: on, put, shelf

off the shelf

Ready made for purchase from available stock; not custom built or crafted. Often hyphenated. We use our own custom software, so we can offer much more precision than what you can find off the shelf. While many off-the-shelf hearing aids are inexpensive, they are much more prone to failure than those prescribed by a doctor.See also: off, shelf

on the shelf

1. Inactive, as in work or socially. I can't just go out and get a job—I've been on the shelf for nearly 30 years! I kept myself on the shelf throughout college. Now I really regret not being more outgoing and making friends.2. In a state of postponement or suspension; rendered unavailable or unable to be used. We'll have to put this on the shelf until we get the fund necessary to complete it.3. dated Of a woman, unmarried and unlikely to ever be due to her age. Potentially offensive. Primarily heard in UK. Afraid of being left on the shelf, Amy joined several online dating sites in the hopes of meeting someone.See also: on, shelf

buy (something) off the shelf

To buy something that is ready made for purchase from available stock; to buy something that is not custom built or crafted. We use our own custom software, so we can offer much more precision than what you can buy off the shelf. If you buy a hearing aid off the shelf, it'll be less expensive, but also much less likely to help you than one prescribed by a doctor.See also: buy, off, shelf

get (something) off the shelf

To obtain something that is ready made for purchase from available stock; to get something that is not custom built or crafted. We use our own custom software, so we can offer much more precision than what you can get off the shelf. If you get a hearing aid off the shelf, it'll be less expensive, but also much less likely to help you than one prescribed by a doctor.See also: get, off, shelf

off the shelf

Fig. ready made for purchase; not custom-made. (Hyphenated when prenominal.) I generally buy off-the-shelf clothing. I am a perfect size eight.See also: off, shelf

on the shelf

1. Fig. not active socially; left to oneself in social matters. (Alludes to being left or stored on a shelf.) I've been on the shelf long enough. I'm going to make some friends. She likes being on the shelf. 2. Fig. postponed. We'll have to put this matter on the shelf for a while. I have a plan on the shelf just waiting for an opportunity like this.See also: on, shelf

off the shelf

Ready-made, available from merchandise or in stock, as opposed to a special order. For example, Sometimes you can get a better discount by buying an appliance off the shelf. [First half of 1900s] Also see off the rack; on the shelf. See also: off, shelf

on the shelf

1. Inactive, not employed, as in With mandatory retirement at 65, many useful employees are put on the shelf. [Second half of 1500s] 2. In a state of disuse, as in We'll have to put her proposal on the shelf until we have more funds. [Late 1800s] 3. Without prospects of marriage. For example, After she broke her third engagement, her parents were sure she'd be on the shelf. This usage is always said of a woman and today considered offensive. It is probably obsolescent. [Early 1800s] All these usages allude to an article left on the shelf of a store, bookcase, or the like. See also: on, shelf

on the shelf

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONEDIf a woman is on the shelf, she is not married and is now too old for men to want to marry her. I certainly don't worry that I'm on the shelf just because I'm single! You can't pretend you're keen on someone just because you're afraid of being left on the shelf. Note: Many people dislike this expression because of the sexist attitude which it represents. See also: on, shelf

shelf life

If something has a particular shelf life, it will only last for that length of time, rather than continuing forever. A large proportion of small businesses have a very short shelf life. Our aim is to build a policy that will have a shelf life of more than 30 months. Note: The shelf life of a food, drink, or medicine is the length of time it can be kept before it is too old to sell or use. See also: life, shelf

off the shelf

not designed or made to order but taken from existing stock or supplies.See also: off, shelf

on the shelf

1 (of people or things) no longer useful or desirable. 2 (of a woman) past an age when she might expect to have the opportunity to marry. 3 (of a music recording or a film) awaiting release on the market after being recorded.See also: on, shelf

buy, get, etc. something off the ˈshelf

buy, etc. something which is not made especially for somebody, and is found in an ordinary shop/store: Did they buy the computer system off the shelf or was it designed specially for them?See also: off, shelf, something

on the ˈshelf

(informal)
1 (especially of women) not married and unlikely to marry because you are no longer young: Some women used to think they were on the shelf if they weren’t married at 30.
2 not wanted by anyone; not used: Unemployed people often feel they’ve been left on the shelf.See also: on, shelf

off-the-shelf

mod. readily available; purchasable without any special difficulties or delays. This is just plain old off-the-shelf hand lotion. Isn’t it great?

on the shelf

1. mod. not active socially; left to oneself in social matters. I’ve been on the shelf long enough. I’m going to make some friends. 2. mod. postponed. (see also on the back burner.) We’ll have to put this matter on the shelf for a while. See also: on, shelf

off the shelf

From ready-made merchandise in stock: supplies that were available off the shelf.See also: off, shelf

on the shelf

1. In a state of disuse or inactivity: The injured goalie has been on the shelf for weeks.2. Out of consideration: The finance bill is on the shelf until next year.See also: on, shelf

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top-shelf

shelf life

put (one) on the shelf

put (something) on the shelf

off the shelf

on the shelf

buy (something) off the shelf

get (something) off the shelf

off the shelf

on the shelf

off the shelf

on the shelf

on the shelf

shelf life

off the shelf

on the shelf

buy, get, etc. something off the ˈshelf

on the ˈshelf

off-the-shelf

on the shelf

off the shelf

on the shelf

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SHELF

shelf

Synonyms for shelf

noun shelving

Synonyms

phrase on the shelf

Synonyms

Synonyms for shelf

noun a support that consists of a horizontal surface for holding objects

Related Words

noun a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water

Synonyms

Related Words