DictionaryAI

shelve

SHELV/ʃɛlv/

Formsshelves, shelving, shelved

13 meanings of shelve

Practice

  1. 1
    verbtransitive
    To put books or other things onto a shelf.

    Like putting clean plates back into a cupboard, one by one.

    She helped me shelve the new books before the library opened.

    Workers shelve the canned goods as soon as the delivery truck arrives.

    Similarfile, stack, arrange

    Note
  2. 2
    verbfigurativelytransitive
    To put off a plan or problem, or stop dealing with it.

    Like putting a half-finished puzzle back in its box to maybe finish another day.

    The city decided to shelve the new bridge project until next year.

    They shelved the idea once the money ran out.

    Similarpostpone, table, halt, stop, pigeonhole

    Oppositepursue, resume

    Note
  3. 3
    verbfigurativelyreflexivetransitive
    To take someone out of active duty or service.

    Like asking a player to sit on the bench instead of playing.

    The coach decided to shelve the injured player for the rest of the season.

    They shelved the aging pitcher after a poor season.

    Similarsideline, suspend, bench, drop

    Oppositereinstate

    Note
  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To fit a room or other space with shelves.

    Like lining a closet wall with flat boards to hold things.

    They plan to shelve the whole basement for extra storage.

    Carpenters shelved the pantry from floor to ceiling.

    Note
  5. 5
    verbintransitive
    Of ground or a surface, to slope downward or upward.

    Like a ramp that slowly drops toward the bottom.

    The seabed shelves steeply just past the reef.

    Gentle slopes shelve down to the water on both sides.

    Similarslope, incline, slant, dip

    Note
  6. 6
    verbtransitive
    To put something in a particular spot, as if you were setting it on a shelf.

    He likes to shelve his sunglasses on top of his head.

    She shelved the box of cookies on top of the fridge, out of the kids' reach.

    Similarplace, set, put, rest

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of shelve apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–4, 6–8

This verb comes from "shelves," the plural of "shelf."

Meanings 5, 9

It comes from Late Middle English "shelven," meaning to separate or keep away. Where it came from before that is not certain.

Meaning 10

This is treated as a singular form of "shelves," the plural of "shelf" meaning a reef, sandbar, or shoal.