26984 words

shelf

7 definitions • 13 examples
1
a long, flat board fixed horizontally, usually against a wall or inside a cupboard so that objects can be stored on it:

Examples:

a glass shelf
on a/the shelf Store the remaining mixture on the top/bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
One wall had shelves from floor to ceiling, crammed with books.
2
a flat area of rock underwater or on a cliff
3
If a product can be bought off the shelf, it does not need to be specially made or asked for:

Examples:

buy something off the shelf It's often cheaper if you buy wallpaper off the shelf, rather than having to order it.
4
When a shop removes something from its shelves, that product stops being available for sale there:

Examples:

They considered removing tobacco from their shelves to combat high smoking rates among teens.
5
a long, flat board hung on a wall or supported by a frame or cabinet, used to hold objects:

Examples:

Her shelves are filled with books and photographs.
6
a long flat board fixed horizontally, for example against a wall or inside a cupboard, on which objects are stored or shown for sale:

Examples:

In another room, stacked on every available shelf are four to five hundred large storage boxes.
Supermarket shelves are filled with cheap, mass-produced food that is packed with calories.
The manufacturer has asked retailers to remove the product from the shelves.
7
if a product can be bought off the shelf, it does not need to be specially made or requested:

Examples:

It's often cheaper if you buy wallpaper off the shelf, rather than having to order it.
The electronic components needed to make the sensors were easily available off the shelf.

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