Main Entry: ¹shave

Pronunciation: \ˈshāv\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): shaved; shaved or shav·en \ˈshā-vən\; shav·ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scafan; akin to Lithuanian skobti to pluck, Latin scabere to scratch, and perhaps to Greek koptein to cut — more at capon

Date: before 12th century

transitive verb 1 a : to remove a thin layer from b : to cut off in thin layers or shreds : slice c : to cut off closely
2 a : to sever the hair from (the head or another part of the body) close to the roots b : to cut off (hair or beard) close to the skin
3 a : to discount (a note) at an exorbitant rate b : deduct, reduce c : to conspire to score fewer (points) than one is capable of (as to affect gambling outcomes)
4 : to come close to or touch lightly in passingintransitive verb 1 : to cut off hair or beard close to the skin
2 : to proceed with difficulty : scrape