1 A2 neutral
To remove hair from the face or body by cutting it at the surface with a razor.
"He decided to shave off his beard before the job interview."
separable
shave off
B1 neutral separable transitive
To remove something by cutting it very close to the surface, or to reduce a small amount from a total.
In plain English
To cut or remove a small amount of something — like hair, time, or cost.
What does "shave off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To remove a thin layer from a surface by cutting.
"She shaved off a thin slice of parmesan to garnish the pasta."
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To reduce a small amount from a time, price, or figure.
"The new tyres shaved three seconds off his lap time."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To cut something off the surface with a razor or sharp blade.
Actually means
To cut or remove a small amount of something — like hair, time, or cost.
Usage tip
Very naturally used both in literal contexts (shaving hair, wood) and figurative ones (shaving seconds off a race time, shaving off costs). The figurative sense is very common in sports and business reporting.
Words that pair with "shave off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
beard hair seconds time costs weight edges
How to conjugate "shave off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shave off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shaves off
he/she/it
Past simple
shaved off
yesterday
Past participle
shaved off
have + pp
-ing form
shaving off
continuous
Hear "shave off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "shave off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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