shave
/ʃeiv/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The act of removing hair with a razor: "Shave" refers to the process of cutting hair, especially facial hair, very close to the skin using a razor.
Verb:
- To remove hair from the skin by cutting it off close to the surface with a razor: This is the most common meaning.
- To cut or pare thin slices from the surface of something: This can refer to wood, food, or other materials.
- To reduce or remove something by a small margin: Often used figuratively to mean barely missing something or reducing a price, time, etc., by a small amount.
- To touch or graze lightly in passing: To come very close to touching something without actually doing so.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- He got a clean shave at the barbershop.
- I need to have a shave before the interview.
Verb (remove hair):
- He shaves his face every morning.
- She shaved her legs for the summer.
Verb (cut thin slices):
- The carpenter shaved a thin piece off the door to make it fit.
- Shave some chocolate over the dessert for garnish.
Verb (reduce/remove by a small margin):
- The runner shaved two seconds off his personal best.
- The store shaved ten dollars off the price.
Verb (graze lightly):
- The bus shaved the side of the car as it passed.
Advanced Usage
"To have a close shave": To narrowly avoid an accident or a dangerous situation.
- He had a close shave when the falling brick just missed his head.
"Shave and a haircut": A colloquial phrase referring to a basic grooming service, or the rhythm of a famous musical knock.
- All he wanted was a simple shave and a haircut.
Variants and Related Words
- Shaver (n): A device or person that shaves; also a colloquial term for a young boy.
- He bought an electric shaver.
- Shaving (n): The act of removing hair; also a thin slice pared off (e.g., wood shavings).
- Wood shavings covered the workshop floor.
- Shaven (adj): The past participle used as an adjective meaning having been shaved.
- His clean-shaven face looked younger.
Synonyms
- Verb (remove hair): Trim, clip.
- Verb (cut slices): Pare, plane, skive.
- Verb (graze): Brush, skim.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Shave off: To remove by shaving; to reduce by a small amount.
- He shaved off his beard.
- Can we shave off a few dollars from the total cost?
Shave down: To reduce the size or amount of something by shaving or cutting.
- We need to shave down the budget for this project.
Related Idioms
- "Shave the truth": To tell a lie or to not be completely honest (less common, related to "shaving" off part of the truth).
- I think he's shaving the truth about what happened.
Noun
- the act of removing hair with a razor
Verb
- touch the surface of lightly
- His back shaved the counter in passing
- make shavings of or reduce to shavings
- shave the radish
- cut or remove with or as if with a plane
- The machine shaved off fine layers from the piece of wood
- cut the price of
- cut closely
- trim my beard
- remove body hair with a razor