A flat, horizontal surface, typically made of wood, metal, or glass, attached to a wall or part of a piece of furniture, used for storing or displaying items.

She arranged her books neatly on the shelf.

A ledge of rock or protruding part of a cliff or mountain.

The climbers rested on a narrow shelf halfway up the mountain.

A flat or gently sloping submerged ledge of land beneath a body of water, especially along a coastline (continental shelf).

Oil companies were given permission to drill on the continental shelf.

A state or position of inactivity, neglect, or postponement.

After the scandal, the politician's career was left on the shelf.

A thick, floating sheet of ice that is attached to a coastline.

Scientists monitor the stability of the Ross Ice Shelf to assess the effects of climate change.

shelfadjective

Relating to or intended for a shelf or shelves.

The store sold shelf brackets in various sizes.