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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Shave

Shāve, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. SHAVED; p. p. SHAVED, or SHAVEN; p. pr. & vb. n. SHAVING.] [A-S. scafan, Icel. skafa, Sw. skafva, Dan. skave, L. Ger. schaven, D. schaven, Goth. skaban, O. H. Ger. scaban, scapan, N. H. Ger. schaben, allied to Lat. scalpere.]

Sense 1. To cut or pare off from the surface of a body by a razor or other edged instrument; to take off closely by cutting; as, to shave the beard.

Sense 2. To make bare or smooth by cutting off closely the surface or surface covering of; especially, to remove the hair from by a razor or other sharp instrument; to take off the beard or hair of.

I'll shave your crown for this. Shak.

The bending scythe Shaves all the surface of the waving green. Gay.

Sense 3. To cut off thin slices; or to cut in thin slices. “Plants bruised or shaven in leaf or root.” Bacon.

Sense 4. To skim along or near the surface of; to sweep along.

Now shaves with level wing the deep. Milton.

Sense 5. To strip; to oppress by extortion; to fleece.

To shave a note, to purchase it at a great discount, or to take interest upon it much beyond the legal rate. [Colloq.]

Shāve, v. i.

verbintransitive

To use a razor for removing the beard; to cut closely; hence, to be hard and severe in a bargain; to cheat.

Shāve, n.

noun

n. [A-S. scafa, sceafa, sceaba, D. schaaf, Ger. schabe.]

  1. A thin slice; a shaving. Wright.
  2. A cutting of the beard; the operation of shaving.
  3. An exorbitant cutting down or discount on a note, &c., for cash in hand. [U. S.]
  4. A tool with a long blade and a handle at each end, for shaving wood, as hoops, &c., by being drawn toward the workman; a drawing-knife.