a)NOT DO somethingif something is left on the shelf, it is not used or considered 不被考虑,搁置不用
The album stayed on the shelf for several years, until it was finally released.
这张专辑被搁置了几年,最后终于得以发行。
b)British EnglishBrE old-fashionedMARRY# too old to get married, used especially of women 〔尤指女子〕因年龄太大而结不成婚
Examples from the Corpus
on the shelf• The saga centres on the tangled love life of a 30-year-old woman, who fears she will be left on the shelf.• What was left on the shelves would not keep them alive.• The basket of flowers was on the shelf behind them.• The porcelain horse, the cactus, the blue bowl and the drinks were on the shelves.• These were on the shelf and the bottom of the safe was stacked with pocketfiles.
54off-the-shelf available to be bought immediately, without having to be specially designed or ordered现货供应
top/bottom/next etc shelf• The food and winechoices are top shelf and usually laid out on the linen-covered hood of a car.• She pointed to a pile of books on the bottom shelf of the bookcase.• Three fresheggs lay in a small bowl on the top shelf in Freda's kitchen.• Miles likes to set up 105 his books alphabetically, with favorites on the top shelf and special baskets for series books.• Set a cup of water on the top shelf or sprinkle the newspapers lightly with water.• The small packets were on the bottom shelf, medium on the middle shelf and large packets on the top.• The next shelf we stopped on was filled with farm animals.• The top shelf is where GayTimes is traditionally to be found, nestling coyly next to Penthouse.
ADJECTIVE | VERB + SHELF | SHELF + VERB | SHELF + NOUN | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤high, low高架子;低架子▸➤deep進深大的架子▸➤bottom, middle, top底層/中層/頂層架子◇He took a book down from the top shelf.他從架子最上層拿下了一本書。➤bare, empty空架子▸➤open開放式架子▸➤dusty佈滿灰塵的架子▸➤glass, metal, wooden玻璃擱板;金屬架子;木架子➤book(usually bookshelf) , CD, DVD, video書架;光碟架;數字影碟架;錄像帶架➤bathroom, kitchen, library, shop, store, supermarket浴室擱架;廚房擱板;圖書館書架;商店貨架;超市貨架◇The supermarket shelves were bare.超市貨架空空如也。➤closet (especially NAmE) 壁櫥擱板VERB + SHELF➤have有擱板◇The cabinet has three shelves.貯藏櫃有 3 層擱板。➤build, put up搭起擱板◇She soon learned how to put up her own shelves.她很快就學會了自己搭架子。➤arrange sth on, display sth on, put sth (back) on, replace sth on, return sth to, stack sth on把⋯擺到擱板上;在架子上展示⋯;把⋯放(回)到架子上;把⋯堆放在擱板上◇I put the box back on the shelf.我把盒子放回到擱板上。➤restock, stack, stock (NAmE) 補充貨架;在貨架上擺貨◇He has a job stacking / stocking shelves.他的工作是擺貨上架。➤fill, line, pack擺滿架子;排列在架子上;碼到架子上◇The shelves were packed with dolls of every shape and size.架子上擺滿了形狀各異、大小不一的娃娃。◇Hundreds of books lined the shelves.數百本書排列在書架上。➤clear清理架子◇I've cleared a shelf in the bedroom for you.我在卧室給你騰空了一個擱板。➤get sth (down) from, get sth (down) off, pick sth from, pick sth off, remove sth from, take sth (down) from, take sth (down) off把⋯從擱板上取下;把⋯從架子上撤下◇They immediately removed the product from their shelves.他們立即將這種產品下架。➤fit on, fit onto, go on, remain on, sit on擺到貨架上;上架;留在貨架上◇Souvenirs filled the shelves.架上擺滿了紀念品。◇Her diaries just sat on the shelf for years (= nobody looked at them).她的日記在架子上擱了多年。➤browse, scan, scour, search在架子上掃視;在架子上搜尋;在貨架上尋找◇She scanned the shelves of the library for new books.她在圖書館書架上尋找新書。➤reach把手伸向架子◇I can't reach the top shelf.我夠不着頂層的擱板。➤reach for伸手夠架子◇She reached for the shelf next to the bed.她伸手去夠牀邊的架子。SHELF + VERB➤be full of sth, contain sth, hold sth架上全是⋯;架上放着⋯➤line架子排列◇Shelves lined the walls behind the long counter.架子排列在長櫃枱後的牆邊。SHELF + NOUN➤space擱架上的空間▸➤life保存期◇The medicine has a shelf life of six months.這種藥的保存期是 6 個月。PREPOSITION➤off a/the shelf從架子上掉下◇I knocked it off the shelf by accident.我不小心把它從架子上碰了下來。➤on a/the shelf在架子上◇the books on the shelves架上的書➤shelf of一架子的⋯◇a shelf of books on economics一架子的經濟學書籍PHRASES➤be filled with shelves, be lined with shelves滿是/排列着架子◇The walls of her study were lined with shelves.她的書房四壁都是書架。➤a place on your shelves架上的一個位置◇The book deserves a place on everyone's shelves.這本書值得每個人讀一讀。➤hit the shelves (figurative) 上架◇Their new CD hits the shelves in May.他們的新唱盤 5 月份上架出售。➤fly off the shelves (bothfigurative) 暢銷◇The DVD is flying off the shelves.這張數字影碟很暢銷。