shelf

Everyday

1. A shelf is a flat board on a wall or in a cupboard for putting things on. tree →
2. A shelf is a flat layer of rock or ice, like an ice shelf. tree →
3. «On the shelf» can mean put aside and not used. tree →

In the lessons

an equal group: shelves with a number of books or cans on each; in shops and libraries; phrases «top shelf», «bottom shelf», «on the shelf», «bookshelf», «ice shelf»

Examples

• Each shelf has 8 books. tree →
• There are 5 shelves. tree →
• How many books are on the shelves? tree →
• He put 24 books on 4 shelves equally. tree →
• The jam is on the top shelf. tree →
• The library has shelves of picture books. tree →
• Put the cups back on the shelf. tree →
• The cans were stacked on the shelves of the shop. tree →
• Antarctica has huge ice shelves. tree →
• She can't reach the top shelf without a step. tree →
• You will find an oil-can on a shelf in my cottage.” tree →

Note

A group: shelves × things each; «put equally on shelves» divides. Trap: shelves are not the things counted. Plural «shelves» (f changes to v). Safety: do not climb shelves to reach things; heavy shelves can fall.

In Jewish tradition

an equal group: shelves with a number of books or cans on each; in shops and libraries; phrases «top shelf», «bottom shelf», «on the shelf», «bookshelf», «ice shelf»

Examples

• This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project to make the world's books discoverable online. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →

Note

A group: shelves × things each; «put equally on shelves» divides. Trap: shelves are not the things counted. Plural «shelves» (f changes to v). Safety: do not climb shelves to reach things; heavy shelves can fall.