shave

v. t. [ imp. Shaved p. p. Shaved or Shaven p. pr. & vb. n. Shaving. ] [ OE. shaven, schaven, AS. scafan, sceafan; akin to D. schaven, G. schaben, Icel. skafa, Sw. skafva, Dan. skave, Goth. scaban, Russ. kopate to dig, Gr. ska`ptein, and probably to L. scabere to scratch, to scrape. Cf. Scab, Shaft, Shape. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll shave your crown for this. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The laborer with the bending scythe is seen
Shaving the surface of the waving green. Gay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cut off thin slices from; to cut in thin slices. [ 1913 Webster ]

Plants bruised or shaven in leaf or root. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To skim along or near the surface of; to pass close to, or touch lightly, in passing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now shaves with level wing the deep. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To strip; to plunder; to fleece. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ Cant, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. scafa, sceafa, a sort of knife. See Shave, v. t. ] 1. A thin slice; a shaving. Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A cutting of the beard; the operation of shaving. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (a) An exorbitant discount on a note. [ Cant, U.S. ] (b) A premium paid for an extension of the time of delivery or payment, or for the right to vary a stock contract in any particular. [ Cant, U.S. ] N. Biddle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A hand tool consisting of a sharp blade with a handle at each end; a drawing knife; a spokeshave. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The act of passing very near to, so as almost to graze; as, the bullet missed by a close shave. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Shave grass (Bot.), 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A man shaved; hence, a monk, or other religious; -- used in contempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am no longer a shaveling than while my frock is on my back. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]