What does "shelf" mean?
Shelf: A sand bank in the sea, or a rock, or ledge of rocks, rendering the water shallow, and dangerous to ships. On the tawny sands and shelves. Milton. On the secret shelves with fury cast. Dryden.
Additional senses
- 2.(Mining) A stratum lying in a very even manner; a flat, projecting layer of rock.
- 3.(Naut.) A piece of timber running the whole length of a vessel inside the timberheads. D. Kemp. To lay on the shelf, to lay aside as unnecessary or useless; to dismiss; to discard.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00