ENGLISH
REFERENCE

permanent shave

idiom
Meaning

A throat-slitting.


Origin

disputed origin

From the early 1900s, presumably a pun on permanent wave.

Examples
SIMPLE

The criminal threatened the guard with a permanent shave.

CONTEXTUAL

In the dark alley, the thief warned his victim that he would receive a permanent shave if he did not hand over his wallet.

COMPLEX

The gritty crime novel described how the ruthless assassin ended his target's life with a swift and brutal permanent shave.

Anchors to
Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    shave down

    To reduce something in size or thickness by gradually removing thin layers or cutting it down closely.

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