shelve

/ʃelv/

Thân thiện

The librarian carefully shelves the new books.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To place something on a shelf: To put an object, especially a book or similar item, onto a shelf for storage or display.
   • To postpone or set aside: To decide not to proceed with a plan, project, or discussion for the present time, effectively putting it aside.

Usage and Examples

• Verb (To place on a shelf):

  • Please shelve these new books in the fiction section.
  • After reading, he carefully shelved the rare manuscript.

• Verb (To postpone):

  • The committee decided to shelve the proposal until next year.
  • We had to shelve our vacation plans due to the unexpected project.

Advanced Usage

• "to shelve an idea": to decide not to act on an idea for now.

  • It was a good concept, but we had to shelve the idea due to budget constraints.

• "to shelve a decision": to delay making a final decision.

  • The board chose to shelve the decision until more data was available.

Variants and Related Words

• Shelf (n): A flat horizontal board fixed to a wall or in a frame, used for storing or displaying objects.

  • He built a new shelf for his trophies.

• Shelving (n): Shelves collectively; the material or structure of shelves.

  • We need to install more metal shelving in the warehouse.

Synonyms

• Postpone: To arrange for something to happen at a later time.
• Defer: To put off to a later time; postpone.
• Table (especially in formal meetings): To postpone consideration of a proposal.

Phrasal Verbs

(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)

Related Idioms

• "To be on the shelf": (Informal) To be no longer used, considered, or, for a person (often considered outdated), to be unmarried and unlikely to marry, especially referring to a woman.
  • That marketing strategy has been on the shelf for years.
  • (Dated/Offensive Usage) Her relatives worried she would be left on the shelf.

(Note: The intransitive verb meaning "to slope gradually," as in land that shelves down to the sea, is a separate, less common usage not covered in detail here.)

Học thuật

Verb

1. place on a shelf
   • shelve books
2. hold back to a later time
   • let's postpone the exam