shave

6 definitions • 12 examples

to remove hair from the body, especially a man's face, by cutting it close to the skin with a razor, so that the skin feels smooth:

John has to shave twice a day.

I always shave my legs in the shower.

Do you shave under your arms?

shave something (off) When my dad shaved his beard (off), he looked ten years younger.

If an object, especially a ball, shaves something, it just touches its surface when it passes it:

With the goalkeeper beaten, the ball shaved the crossbar.

in sport, to intentionally score fewer points than possible in order to dishonestly or illegally affect the margin of victory in a game:

shave points He claimed he never shaved points or asked other athletes to do so.

the act of shaving, especially a man's face:

need a shave He had been up all night and needed a shave.

have a shave UK He washed and had a shave.

to remove hair from the face or body by cutting it close to the skin with a razor (= a device with a blade):

[ T ] He shaved his face.

[ I ] He carefully shaved around the cut on his cheek.

[ M ] I was amazed to see he had shaved off his beard.

If you shave an amount off or from an object or surface, you cut a thin layer from it:

[ M ] She shaved about an eighth of an inch off the door, and now it closes.