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Glite Dictionary
🪒 To remove hair 🪒 A hair removal 🔪 To cut thin slices 💸 To reduce slightly 🪁 To touch lightly
to shave

to shave

12 3.7
Move very close to a surface and touch it lightly
  • verb
  • /ʃeɪv/
translation icon : rozar
  • As the plane landed, it shaved the top of the trees, barely missing them.
  • to shave close to

Examples

  • The cyclist shaved close to the curb to make the turn without losing speed.

  • You'll shave off about 2 miles that way.

    Death Race 2000 (1975)

  • Plus, this trail shaves off about eight miles.

    Impact Earth (2015)

  • I figured if I headed due south I could shave off a half-mile or so.

    Grapes on a Vine (2008)

  • I used to write fairly complex macros for it that shaved off over two hours of paperwork for me each day.

    Blog text (19)

  • Moreover, world shipping routes will be transformed by new northern sea routes made possible by the melting polar icecap; these new sea lanes will shave thousands of nautical miles and up to seven days of travel time off current routes through the Suez and Panama canals.

    Academic text (2010)

  • The car shaved past the guardrail as the driver tried to avoid the obstacle.

Synonyms

to brush
vsto shave
133 1.6

To touch something lightly while passing by

involves passing extremely close and grazing the surface without real contact
to brush against
vsto shave
15 3.1

To touch something lightly while passing by

is about passing very close and only barely touching the surface

Compounds

close shave
  • Informal
3 3.9

A situation where you almost have something bad happen

closer shave
3.0

A way of cutting hair close to the skin to make skin smooth

after-shave
  • UK
3.4

Scented liquid you put on your face after shaving to soothe and refresh skin

after-shave lotion
  • UK
2.9

A scented lotion men use on their face after shaving to soothe and refresh the skin

permanent shave
7.9

A long-lasting treatment that removes facial hair and needs little care

How Close

graze
4 3.4
to shave
12 3.7
to skim
1 2.9
to glide
89 2.9
to pass by
165 1.2

Surface Forms

shave infinitive
shaved past
shaved past participle
shaving present participle
shaves third person singular

Etymology

Shave meaning to pass very close comes from the idea of just 'scraping' past something or barely touching it, like a brush against a surface. That's why if something shaves the floor or an edge, it only just touches or passes very near it.