shaving

UK: /ˈʃeɪvɪŋ/ US: /ˈʃeɪvɪŋ/ ,(shā′ving)

From the verb shave: (⇒ conjugate)

shaving is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

shav•ing /ˈʃeɪvɪŋ/   n. 

1. Often, shavings. [plural] a very thin piece or slice, esp. of wood:
   wood shavings on the floor.
2. [uncountable] the act of one that shaves.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

shav•ing  (shā′ving), n. 

1. Often, shavings. a very thin piece or slice, esp. of wood.
2. the act of a person or thing that shaves.

• 1325–75; Middle English; see shave, -ing¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shaving / ˈʃeɪvɪŋ/ noun

1. the act of removing hair from the face, etc
2. (as modifier): shaving cream
3. a thin paring or slice, esp of wood, that has been shaved from something

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

shave /ʃeɪv/   v., shaved, shaved or (esp. in combination) shav•en, shav•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to remove (hair, etc.) from (the face, etc.) by cutting it off close to the skin with a razor: [~ + object]
   He shaved his face.
   [no object]
   You forgot to shave yesterday.
2. [~ + object] to scrape away the surface of (something) with a sharp-edged tool:
   to use a scraper to shave the bottom of the door.
3. to scrape or come very near to:
   [~ + object] The car just shaved the garage door.
4. [~ + object]
   • to reduce or deduct (an amount) from a price or total:
     to shave a few dollars off the price.
   • to deduct a certain amount from (a price, etc.):
     to shave the asking price of the house.

n. [countable]

5. the act or an instance of shaving or being shaved.

Idioms

6. Idioms close shave, [countable] a narrow escape from disaster:
   During their escape the prisoners had numerous close shaves.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

shave  (shāv), v., shaved, shaved or (esp. in combination) shav•en, shav•ing, n. 
v.i. 

1. to remove a growth of beard with a razor.

v.t. 

2. to remove hair from (the face, legs, etc.) by cutting it off close to the skin with a razor.
3. to cut off (hair, esp. the beard) close to the skin with a razor (often fol. by off or away).
4. to cut or scrape away the surface of with a sharp-edged tool:
   to shave hides in preparing leather.
5. to reduce to shavings or thin slices:
   to shave wood.
6. to cut or trim closely:
   to shave a lawn.
7. to scrape, graze, or come very near to:
   The car just shaved the garage door.
8. Business [Com.] to purchase (a note) at a rate of discount greater than is legal or customary.
9. to reduce or deduct from:
   The store shaved the price of winter suits in the spring.

n. 

10. the act, process, or an instance of shaving or being shaved.
11. a thin slice;
    shaving.
12. any of various tools for shaving, scraping, removing thin slices, etc.

• bef. 900; (verb, verbal) Middle English schaven, schafen, Old English sc(e)afan; cognate with Dutch schaven to plane (a plank), abrade (the skin), Low German schaven, German schaben, Old Norse skafa to scrape, Gothic skaban to shear, shave; (noun, nominal) Middle English schave tool for shaving, Old English sc(e)afa, derivative of the verb, verbal

shav′a•ble, shave′a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 7. brush, glance, touch.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shave / ʃeɪv/ verb (shaves, shaving, shaved, shaved, shaven)(mainly tr)

1. (also intr) to remove (the beard, hair, etc) from (the face, head, or body) by scraping the skin with a razor
2. to cut or trim very closely
3. to reduce to shavings
4. to remove thin slices from (wood, etc) with a sharp cutting tool; plane or pare
5. to touch or graze in passing
6. to reduce (a price) by a slight amount

noun

1. the act or an instance of shaving
2. any tool for scraping
3. a thin slice or shaving

Etymology: Old English sceafan; related to Old Norse skafa, Gothic skaban to shave, Latin scabere to scrape

ˈshavable, ˈshaveable adjective