shelve

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

shelve, v. t. 

•  To furnish with shelves; as, to shelve a closet or a library.  [1913 Webster]
•  To place on a shelf. Hence: To lay on the shelf; to put aside; to dismiss from service; to put off indefinitely; as, to shelve an officer; to shelve a claim.  [1913 Webster]

shelve, v. i. [Perhapss originally from the same source as shallow, but influenced by shelf a ledge, a platform.].

 To incline gradually; to be slopping; as, the bottom shelves from the shore.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

shelve, v.tr.
1 put (books etc.) on a shelf.
2 a abandon or defer (a plan etc.). b remove (a person) from active work etc.
3 fit (a cupboard etc.) with shelves.

Derivative

shelver n. shelving n.

shelve, v.intr. (of ground etc.) slope in a specified direction (land shelved away to the horizon).

Etymology

perh. f. shelvy (adj.) having underwater reefs f. shelve (n.) ledge, f. SHELVE(1)

THESAURUS

shelve

adjourn, ascend, bank, cant, careen, climb, continue, decline, defer, delay, descend, dip, dish, drag out, drop, extend, fall, fall away, fall off, give up, go downhill, go uphill, grade, hang fire, hang up, hold off, hold over, hold up, incline, keel, lay aside, lay away, lay by, lay over, lean, list, pigeonhole, pitch, postpone, prolong, prorogate, prorogue, protract, push aside, put aside, put away, put in mothballs, put off, put on ice, rake, recess, reserve, retreat, rise, set aside, set by, shift off, sideline, sidle, slant, sleep on, slope, stand over, stave off, stay, store, stow, stretch out, suspend, swag, sway, table, table the motion, take a recess, tilt, tip, uprise, waive

ROGET THESAURUS

shelve

Disuse

VB not use, do without, dispense with, let alone, not touch, forbear, abstain, spare, waive, neglect, keep back, reserve, lay up, lay by, lay on the shelf, keep on the shelf, lay up in ordinary, lay up in a napkin, shelve, set aside, put aside, lay aside, disuse, leave off, have done with, supersede, discard, dismiss, give warning, throw aside, make away with, cast overboard, heave overboard, throw overboard, cast to the dogs, cast to the winds, dismantle, lie unemployed, remain unemployed.

Location

VB place, situate, locate, localize, make a place for, put, lay, set, seat, station, lodge, quarter, post, install, house, stow, establish, fix, pin, root, graft, plant, shelve, pitch, camp, lay down, deposit, reposit, cradle, moor, tether, picket, pack, tuck in, embed, imbed, vest, invest in, billet on, quarter upon, saddle with, load, lade, freight, pocket, put up, bag, inhabit, domesticate, colonize, take root, strike root, anchor, cast anchor, come to an anchor, sit down, settle down, settle, take up one's abode, take up one's quarters, plant oneself, establish oneself, locate oneself, squat, perch, hive, se nicher, bivouac, burrow, get a footing, encamp, pitch one's tent, put up at, put up one's horses at, keep house, endenizen, naturalize, adopt, put back, replace.

Neglect

VB be negligent, take no care of &c (take care of), neglect, let slip, let go, lay aside, set aside, cst aside, put aside, keep out of sight, put out of sight, lose sight of, overlook, disregard, pass over, pas by, let pass, blink, wink at, connive at, gloss over, take no note of, take no thought of, take no account of, take no notice of, pay no regard to, laisser aller, scamp, trifle, fribble, do by halves, cut, slight, play with, trifle with, slur, skim, skim the surface, effleurer, take a cursory view of, slur over, skip over, jump over, slip over, pretermit, miss, skip, jump, omit, give the go-by to, push aside, pigeonhole, shelve, sink, table, ignore, shut one's eyes to, refuse to hear, turn a deaf ear to, leave out of one's calculation, not attend to, not mind, not trouble oneself about, not trouble one's head about, not trouble oneself with, forget, be caught napping, leave a loose thread, let the grass grow under one's feet, render neglectful, put off one's guard, throw off one's guard, distract, divert.