verb
shave
shayv
verb
1
To cut hair close to the skin using a razor or similar tool.
"He shaves his face every morning before work."
"She shaved her head for charity."
2
To cut a thin slice or layer from something.
"The chef shaved thin slices of parmesan over the pasta."
3
To reduce something slightly, such as time, cost, or size.
"The new engine shaves a few seconds off the lap time."
noun
1
An instance of shaving, especially the face.
"He needs a shave — he looks scruffy."
2
A narrow escape from danger; a close shave.
"That was a close shave — the car missed us by inches."
How to Use Shave
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cut hair very close to the skin, cut a thin slice off something, or trim a small amount off a total.
Common pairings
shave your face
shave your legs
close shave
shave a few seconds off
Word Forms
shaved past tense, shove past tense, shaven past tense, shaves plural, shaves singular
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Etymology
From Old English sċafan, "to scrape or shave," from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to scrape," related to words in Dutch and German with the same core meaning.