shelf

noun [C]

/ʃelf/ (plural shelves)

Definition

A2 a long, flat board fixed horizontally, usually against a wall or inside a cupboard so that objects can be stored on it: a glass shelf on the top/bottom shelf One wall had shelves from floor to ceiling, crammed with books. → See also bookshelfFurniture for storage › specialized a flat area of rock underwater or on a cliffHills and mountains off the shelf › If a product can be bought off the shelf, it does not need to be specially made or asked for: It's often cheaper if you buy wallpaper off the shelf, rather than having to order it. off-the-shelf goods/clothesAvailable and accessiblePresentBuying and selling in general remove sth from your shelves › When a shop removes something from its shelves, that product stops being available for sale there.Buying and selling in generalTaking things away from someone or somewhereRemoving and getting rid of things

(Definition of shelf noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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