shelf — English Dictionary

shelf
Word-form referencesshelve
Pronunciations (2)
  • /ʃɛlf/
  • ʃɛlf

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.

    Examples

    We keep the old newspapers on the bottom shelf of the cupboard, and our photos on the top shelf.

    More examples (1)

    Localities across New Jersey imposed curfews to prevent looting. In Monmouth, Ocean and other counties, people waited for hours for gasoline at the few stations that had electricity. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare.

  2. The capacity of such an object

    Examples

    a shelf of videos

  3. A projecting ledge that resembles such an object.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    In 1981, China's Ministry of Geology surveyed the Taiwan Banks area and reported the following features: The Southern Basin (Taiwan Qian Tan) is situated approximately 200 km (124 mi) south-east of Swatao City and about 10 km (6.2 mi) south of the Taiwan Banks on the transition between shelf and slope in water depths of 50 to 200 m (164 to 656 ft).

  4. The part of a repository where shelvesets are stored.

    Examples
    More examples (2)

    This is where the Visual Studio Shelving function can help. A shelf is a place on the server in source control that is separate from the main code line so it will not affect other developers.

    A shelveset allows you to store a changeset on the server without adding it to the current codebase and sharing it with team members directly. Each team member has his own “shelf,” where he can store as many shelvesets as he wants.

Noun

  1. A reef, sandbar, or shoal.

    Examples
    More examples (2)

    But with a ſlaw ſuddein chauffing ſtorm-bringer Orion, / Spurnt vs too the waters: then ſootherne ſwaſhruter huffling / Flung vs on high ſhelueflats, to the rocks vs he buffeted after.

    The Marchant that returnes from ſome far forrain lands, / Eſcaping dreadfull rocks and dangerous ſhelfs and ſands, / When as he ſees his ſhip her home-hauen enter ſafe, / Will he repine at God, and as offended chafe / For being brought to ſoone home to his natiue ſoile, / Free from all perills ſad that threaten ſaylor’s ſpoile?

    Scopuloſo, full of rocks, ſhelfs, flats, or dangers by ſea.

    More examples (4)

    The other part of the Turks which at the same time aſſaulted the citie by water, out of their gallies and ſmall ſhips, had as euill or rather worſe ſucceſſe: many of them were ſunke with great ſhot, and ſome burnt by the fire caſt from the wals, and ſo fired one another; and diuers of them in that ſudden feare, for avoiding of that preſent danger, ran a ground vpon the ſhelfs in the riuer, and ſo ſplit.

    [T]he greateſt of their Galliaſſes fell foule vpon another ſhip, and loſt her Rudder, ſo that guideleſſe ſhe droue vvith the tide vpon a ſhelue in the ſhoare of Callis, vvhere ſhee vvas aſſaulted by the Engliſh.

    And all was stillness, save the sea-bird's cry, / And dolphin's leap, and little billow crost / By some low rock or shelve, that made it fret / Against the boundary it scarcely wet.

    But upon inquiry among the company, this plan was wrecked upon the ordinary shelve, to wit, the difficulty of finding performers who would consent to assume the lower characters of the drama.

Noun

  1. a support that consists of a horizontal surface for holding objects

    Broader terms
  2. a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
Word forms
shelvesshelfsshelve

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