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Entry 11 senses · 4 variants Webster, 1913

Shave

/(shāv)/ · IPA /ʃeɪv/
01 p. p.
02 v. t. To cut or pare off from the surface of a body with a razor or other edged instrument; to cut off closely, as with a razor; as, to shave the…
imp. Shaved; p. p. Shaved; p. pr. & vb. n. Shaving
  1. 1.
    To cut or pare off from the surface of a body with a razor or other edged instrument; to cut off closely, as with a razor; as, to shave the beard.
  2. 2.
    To make bare or smooth by cutting off closely the surface, or surface covering, of; especially, to remove the hair from with a razor or other sharp instrument; to take off the beard or hair of; as, to shave the face or the crown of the head; he shaved himself.
    “I'll shave your crown for this.” — Shak.
    “The laborer with the bending scythe is seen Shaving the surface of the waving green.” — Gay.
  3. 3.
    To cut off thin slices from; to cut in thin slices.
    “Plants bruised or shaven in leaf or root.” — Bacon.
  4. 4.
    To skim along or near the surface of; to pass close to, or touch lightly, in passing.
    “Now shaves with level wing the deep.” — Milton.
  5. 5.
    To strip; to plunder; to fleece.[Colloq.]
Phrases & compounds
To shave a note — to buy it at a discount greater than the legal rate of interest, or to deduct in discounting it more than the legal rate allows.
03 v. i. To use a razor for removing the beard; to cut closely; hence, to be hard and severe in a bargain; to practice extortion; to cheat.
  1. 1.
    To use a razor for removing the beard; to cut closely; hence, to be hard and severe in a bargain; to practice extortion; to cheat.
04 n. A thin slice; a shaving.
  1. 1.
    A thin slice; a shaving.
  2. 2.
    A cutting of the beard; the operation of shaving.
  3. 3.
    An exorbitant discount on a note.[Cant, U.S.]
  4. 4.
    A hand tool consisting of a sharp blade with a handle at each end; a drawing knife; a spokeshave.
  5. 5.
    The act of passing very near to, so as almost to graze; as, the bullet missed by a close shave.[Colloq.]
Phrases & compounds
Shave grass — the scouring rush. See the Note under Equisetum.
Shave hook — a tool for scraping metals, consisting of a sharp-edged triangular steel plate attached to a shank and handle.