Shave

/ʃeɪv/ · verb

Meaning

(transitive) To make (the head, skin etc.) bald or (the hair) shorter by using a tool such as a razor or electric clippers to cut the hair close to the skin..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To make (the head, skin etc.) bald or (the hair) shorter by using a tool such as a razor or electric clippers to cut the hair close to the skin.
2. (transitive) To cut anything in this fashion.
3. (intransitive) To remove hair from one's face by this means.
4. (transitive) To cut finely, for example slices of meat.
5. To skim along or near the surface of; to pass close to, or touch lightly, in passing.
6. To reduce in size, weight, time taken etc., usually by a small amount.
7. (archaic, transitive) To be hard and severe in a bargain with; to practice extortion on; to cheat.
8. (US, slang, dated, transitive) To buy (a note) at a discount greater than the legal rate of interest, or to deduct in discounting it more than the legal rate allows.

Example Sentences

The Lab'rer vvith the bending Scythe is ſeen / Shaving the Surface of the vvaving Green; […]

I had little time to shave this morning.

Now shaves with level wing the deep.

[…] I watched for sunken stones; I was learning to clap my teeth smartly before my heart flew out, when I shaved by a fluke some infernal sly old snag that would have ripped the life out of the tin–pot steamboat and drowned all the pilgrims; […]

Kingsman’s two-hour 20-minute running time could have been shaved by around a fifth, without losing a great deal.

The acceleration was impressive, and these trains should allow TfW to look at shaving a few minutes off schedules here and there in the fullness of time, […].

Took one of the goons, the fuck they gonna do? Shave him in the heart then the mandem smoke a zoot

I instructed the barber to give me a shave.

Synonyms for shave

Antonyms for shave

Related Words

Word Forms

• shaves
• shaving
• shaved
• shove
• shaven

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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