shave

verb

\ ˈshāv

shaved; shaved or shaven\ ˈshā-vən

\; shaving

Definition of shave

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to remove a thin layer from

b : to cut off in thin layers or shreds : slice

c : to cut off closely

2a : 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

3a : 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 passing

intransitive verb

1 : to cut off hair or beard close to the skin

2 : to proceed with difficulty : scrape

shave

noun

Definition of shave (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : shaver sense 3

2 : a thin slice : shaving

3 : an act or the process of shaving

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about shave

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Examples of shave in a Sentence

Verb

She cut herself while shaving her legs. The sheep were all shaved. He shaves every morning before breakfast. I cut myself shaving this morning. She shaves her dog's fur in the summer. He shaved some butter from the container.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The average result showed that economic feedbacks reduced emissions enough to keep the CO2 concentration about 85 parts per million lower in 2100, shaving about 0.3°C off global warming. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "The economic impacts of climate change could limit climate change," 19 Dec. 2018 Mihrigul Tursun, speaking to reporters in Washington, said she was interrogated for four days in a row without sleep, had her hair shaved and was subjected to an intrusive medical examination following her second arrest in China in 2017. — Maria Danilova, The Seattle Times, "Woman describes torture, beatings in Chinese detention camp," 27 Nov. 2018 The Ariel is a feature-rich, versatile pack that presents a case study in how a sturdy, weight-bearing suspension design is often more comfortable than a design that shaves ounces by way of flimsier built-in support. — Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, "The Best Women’s Backpacking Packs," 13 July 2018 Greg Daco, an economist at Oxford Economics, has calculated that the $250 billion in tariffs Trump has imposed or threatened to place on Chinese imports could shave growth by about 0.3 percentage point next year. — Anchorage Daily News, "A new round of proposed Trump tariffs would hit US consumers," 12 July 2018 Grace was the first to find him on the floor of the bathroom in their home in Northampton, midway through shaving his face. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "For His Patriotic Birthday, Five Facts About Calvin Coolidge," 2 July 2018 The muffuletta, made with prosciutto, capicola, shaved Parmesan, and olive salad, could easily be mistaken for an extra-spicy Italian combo. — Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, "Lowerline and Café Booqoo Translate Classics of New Orleans Cuisine," 28 June 2018 Here, her sides are shaved down and the pink adds a stark line of demarcation between the bright hue and her natural shade. — Devon Abelman, Allure, "28 Pretty Pink Hair-Color Ideas to Inspire Your Next Dye Job," 10 Oct. 2018 Unlike its relatives, the meat is shaved off into thin slices and then wrapped in a piece of pita with lettuce, tomato, and onion with lashings of garlic sauce. — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Love Letter To The Döner Kebab," 1 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Also go for: White sand beaches, cone after cone of shave ice, and some of the best resorts in the world. — Condé Nast Traveler, "8 Most Haunted Cities In America and Why You Should Visit," 18 Oct. 2018 Nordstrom’s new Manhattan Men’s Store made a similar bet, integrating in-store tech to bolster a full-service operation, which can include a shave, shoe polish or custom fitting. — Rebecca Dolan, WSJ, "How Tech is Drawing Shoppers Back to Bricks-and-Mortar Stores," 12 Sep. 2018 The entire collection's packaging is rose gold and bronze, because #millennial, and includes the usual personal-hygiene staples, like a gentle wash, some cleansing wipes, and a post-shave cream. — Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "Vagina Makeup Exists, Because This Is the World We Live in Now," 25 July 2017 This helps create a smoother, cleaner shave that reduces irritation and razor burn. — Ella Cerón, Teen Vogue, "I Tried David Beckham's House 99 Sharp Cut Shaving Stick on My Legs," 12 Oct. 2018 This one from Philips lasts an hour on a single charge, has a turbo mode for a faster shave, and can be used wet or dry. — Courtney Campbell, USA TODAY, "Here are the 5 best Amazon deals right now," 6 June 2018 The chairs in the new Spanish Fly Barbershop in NuLu are more than a place for a trim or a shave. — Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, "NuLu's new barbershop is keeping patrons as fresh as the neighborhood," 10 July 2018 To prevent nicks and possible infection or inflammation in the hair follicles, Marchbein recommends using a sharp razor, and changing out the blade every two to three shaves. — Kayleigh Donahue, Allure, "Allure's Guide to Hair Removal From Your Brows to Your Bikini Line," 6 June 2018 More Money: Nordstrom's first NYC store offers cocktails, anytime pick up -- even a shaveMore: Department stores dead? — Charisse Jones, USA TODAY, "Saks Fifth Avenue bets 'magic mirrors,' face workouts will bring online buyers to stores," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shave.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.