verb
shelve
Shelve (verb) means to fit a place, such as a library, with shelves.
verb
1
To fit a place, such as a library, with shelves.
"to shelve a closet or a library"
2
To put something, especially books, onto a shelf.
"The library needs volunteers to help shelve books."
3
To put something down in a particular spot, as though setting it on a shelf.
4
To insert drugs into the body through the anus or vagina.
Easily confused with
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Etymology
The verb is a back-formation from shelves, the plural of shelf (“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”). The noun is derived from etymology 1, verb sense 2 (“(obsolete) to hang over or project like a shelf”).
Related words
Rhymes for shelve
See all rhymes for shelve →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of shelve?
"shelve" (verb) means to fit a place, such as a library, with shelves.
What is another word for shelve?
Other words for "shelve" include table, prorogue, postpone, remit, defer.
What are the different meanings of shelve?
"shelve" has 3 main meanings: 1. To fit a place, such as a library, with shelves; 2. To put something, especially books, onto a shelf; 3. To put something down in a particular spot, as though setting it on a shelf.
