English Explanatory Dictionary

shelf

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A 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.
  2. The capacity of such an object
  3. A projecting ledge that resembles such an object.
  4. The part of a repository where shelvesets are stored.
verb
  1. Alternative form of shelve.
noun
  1. A reef, sandbar, or shoal.
verb
  1. Alternative form of shelve.
name
  1. A place name:
  2. A village in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE1228).
  3. A hamlet in Coychurch Lower community, Bridgend borough county borough, Wales (OS grid ref SS9380).

Pronunciation

/ʃɛlf/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-shelf.wav

Word forms

shelf shelves shelfs shelfing shelfed shelve

Etymology

From Middle English schelfe, probably from Old English sċylfe, sċilfe (“shelf, ledge, deck of a ship”), from Proto-West Germanic *skilfijā, from Proto-Germanic *skelfō (“shelf, ledge, cliff”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to cut”), distantly related to sculpt, carve and shell. Cognate with Dutch schelf (“hay loft, haystack”), German Low German Schelf (“haystack”), Old Norse skjalf (“bench”).

Synonyms

shelfful

Related words

shelve

Derived words

alongshelf beamshelf beehive shelf bottom-shelf commercial off-the-shelf conducting shelf high shelf ice-shelf intrashelf mantelshelf mid-shelf off-the-shelf off the shelf on the shelf rockshelf shelfback shelf bra shelf break shelfbreak shelf cloud shelf filler shelfful shelf fungus shelf ice shelfie shelflation shelfless shelf life shelflike shelflist shelf list shelfmark shelfmate shelfroom shelf-screamer shelf sea shelf-stable shelf stacker shelf stopper shelf-talker shelfware shelf-wobbler shelf-worn shelfworthy shelve shelvy simian shelf swing shelf toolshelf top-shelf top shelf undershelf shelfward shelfwards shelfy
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