Definition of shave - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
hair removalremove hair from the body using a razor
- He shaves his beard every morning.
2.
small reductionreduce something by a small amount
- They shaved ten minutes off the travel time.
3.
thin slicingcut thin slices from a material
- She shaved the wood to make it smooth.
4.
carpentryremove a thin layer from something
- She shaved some chocolate on the cake for decoration..
5.
light touchtr./intr. skim or touch lightly in passingtr./intr.
- The bird shaved the water's surface.
Noun
1.
hair removalinstance of removing hair with a razor
- He had a quick shave before the meeting.
2.
thin sliceUS amount of something removed thinlyUS
- A close shave with the knife left a thin slice of cheese..
3.
toolsTECH. hand tool with a sharp blade for woodworkingTECH.
- He used a shave to smooth the wood.
4.
financial termDated US exorbitant discount on a noteDated US
- The banker offered a shave on the loan.
Images of shave

hand tool with a sharp blade for woodworking
Expressions with shave
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remove hair or a thin layer
He decided to shave off his beard.
achieving something by a narrow margin
Winning the game was a close shave.
cut hair very short
The barber will shave it close for a cleaner look.
reduce time taken to do something
He managed to shave seconds off his running time.
seven-note riff used for comic effect
The band ended the song with a shave and a haircut.
to slightly alter the facts
He tends to shave the truth to make his stories more interesting.
cream used to soften hair for shaving
He applied shave cream before using the razor.
foamy substance for softening hair during shaving
He applied shave foam before using the razor.
situation where someone almost gets hurt or in trouble
That was a near shave on the highway!
hairstyle that gives a shaved look
He chose a permanent shave for a sleek appearance.
plant with jointed stems used in herbal medicine
Shave grass is often used in herbal teas.
Origin of shave
Old English, sceafan (to scrape)
Terms with shave included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
shaving product
substance put on skin to help shave hair smoothly
pre-shave
liquid used before shaving to soften facial hair
carpentry
finely shave or bevel an edge
grooming
trim or shave a male's body hair
post-shave care
liquid applied to the skin after shaving to soothe and scent
pre-shave
cream applied to skin before shaving
grooming
simple haircut and shave
repeat action
shave again to achieve smoothness
youth
young man old enough to shave
Examples of shave in a sentence
She shaves her legs before going to the beach. They shaved a few dollars off the price. We need to shave some time off the schedule. He shaved the cheese for the pasta dish. The chef shaved truffles over the gourmet meal. He shaved a bit of wood off the door to make it fit.
The chef shaved truffles over the pasta. The ball shaved the edge of the post. A branch shaved the roof as the truck passed. A clean shave can boost your confidence. He enjoys a close shave every morning. He added a shave of truffle to the dish. A shave of wood was enough to fix the uneven surface. The craftsman selected a shave for the task. A shave is essential for detailed woodwork. He accepted a shave to close the deal. The investor demanded a shave on the bond.
View all translations of shave
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:se raser, rasage, ...
- German:rasieren, Rasur, ...
- Italian:radersi, rasatura, ...
- Spanish:afeitarse, afeitado, ...
- Portuguese:barbear, aparas, ...
- Chinese:刮, 剃须, ...
- Japanese:剃る, ひげ剃り, ...
- Arabic:حَلَقَ, حِلَاقَة, ...
- Hebrew:לְגַלֵּחַ, גִּלּוּחַ, ...
- Russian:брить, бритьё, ...
- Ukrainian:голити, гоління, ...
- Hindi:दाढ़ी बनाना, शेव, ...
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