shelf

on the shelf (British & Australian, old-fashioned)

if someone, especially a woman, is on the shelf, they are not married and people now believe they are too old to get married. I was afraid my daughter would never find a husband, that she'd be left on the shelf.

a shelf life

the length of time that something will last or remain useful. These days many marriages have a fairly short shelf life.

See also: life

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off the shelf

in a form that is ready to be used. Most of the technology needed can be bought off the shelf.

Usage notes: usually used to show that something is not specially made for a particular use

put someone on the shelf

to cause someone not to be available. A sore left knee put him on the shelf for two weeks, and he has missed six games.

put something on the shelf

to delay something. The library's plan to show three films next week has been put on the shelf.