off the shelf
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shelf
(shĕlf)n. pl. shelves (shĕlvz)
Idioms: 1.
a. A flat, usually rectangular structure composed of a rigid material, such as wood, glass, or metal, fixed at right angles to a wall or other vertical surface and used to hold or store objects.
b. The contents or capacity of such a structure.
c. Something, such as a projecting ledge of rock or a balcony, that resembles such a structure.
2. A reef, sandbar, or shoal.
3. Bedrock.
off the shelf
From ready-made merchandise in stock: supplies that were available off the shelf.
on the shelf
1. In a state of disuse or inactivity: The injured goalie has been on the shelf for weeks.
2. Out of consideration: The finance bill is on the shelf until next year.
shelf′ful′ n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
off the shelf
adv
(Commerce) from stock and readily available: you can have this model off the shelf.
adj (off-the-shelf when prenominal)
1. (Commerce) of or relating to a product that is readily available: an off-the-shelf model.
2. (Commerce) of or denoting a company that has been registered with the Registrar of Companies for the sole purpose of being sold
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014