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Glite Dictionary
to unshelve the project

to unshelve the project

7.0
To start work again on a project that was paused or stopped
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : reactivar
  • After several years on hold, the committee decided to unshelve the project and move forward with development.

Examples

  • We are excited to finally unshelve the project that has been gathering dust for so long.

  • The company may unshelve the project if market conditions improve next year.

  • We should unshelve the project immediately!

  • Why did we unshelve the project now?

  • After several years on hold, the committee decided to unshelve the project and move forward with development.

  • The company may unshelve the project if market conditions improve next year.

  • We are excited to finally unshelve the project that has been gathering dust for so long.

Synonyms

to reactivate
vsto unshelve the project
41 4.3

To make something work again after it stopped

revives halted work with emphasis on resuming progress rather than mere activation
to reestablish
vsto unshelve the project
37 4.3

To bring back something that stopped or was lost

revives halted work specifically to resume active tasks not restore existence
to reignite
vsto unshelve the project
15 4.6

To make an interest, feeling, or activity start again after it stopped

revives paused work rather than only rekindling emotion or spirit
to relaunch
vsto unshelve the project
7 3.9

To start something again after it stops or after you change it

resumes previously stopped work without necessarily relaunching publicly
to reinstitute
vsto unshelve the project
6 6.1

To start again a rule or practice that stopped

revives halted work rather than restoring institutional rules or systems
to unshelve
vsto unshelve the project
6.8

Put a plan back into active use after it was set aside

revives halted work specifically to continue or finish paused tasks
to unshelve (a proposal)
vsto unshelve the project
8.0

To bring back a proposal that was set aside for discussion

revives halted work rather than only restarting discussion of proposals

Antonyms

to shelve
11 5.0

To stop work on a plan or project for now

How Active

relaunch
5 4.2
to restart
85 2.3
to unshelve the project
7.0
to discuss
∞ 1.6
to shelve
11 5.0

Surface Forms

unshelve infinitive
unshelved past
unshelved past participle
unshelving present participle
unshelves third person singular

Morphology

unshelve + the + project

The verb 'unshelve' is transparently built from the negating prefix un- plus 'shelve' (to set aside), so 'unshelve the project' straightforwardly means to take a previously set-aside project back into active work. This uses the common shelf-as-metaphor for postponement/resumption and, combined with the clear noun 'project', a B1 learner who knows the constituents can readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Unshelve the project comes from the simple image of taking a file or plan off a shelf after it was put away. If a project was shelved it sat and gathered dust, so to unshelve it means to 'start it again' or 'resume' the work.