# shelves

/ˈʃɛɫvz/ (US) · /ʃˈɛlvz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shelves
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. to put away or delay

verb · CEFR B2

to put something on a shelf, or to decide not to continue with a plan for now.

For teachers: the third-person singular present form of 'shelve', meaning to place on a shelf or to postpone a project indefinitely.

- The company often shelves new ideas if they cost too much money.
- The director typically shelves any script that fails to secure independent funding within the first six months of development.

Usage: When used for plans or projects, it implies a temporary or permanent stop.

## Examples

- The books are on the top shelves.
- We need to install more shelves in the kitchen to store all our spices and jars.
- The library's towering shelves are packed with rare manuscripts that require climate-controlled conditions to prevent the delicate paper from deteriorating over time.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.