\Shave\,
obs. p. p. of {Shave}. --Chaucer.
      His beard was shave as nigh as ever he can. --Chaucer.

\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.
????, 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.
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.
         I'll shave your crown for this.       --Shak.
         The laborer with the bending scythe is seen Shaving
         the surface of the waving green.      --Gay.
3. To cut off thin slices from; to cut in thin slices.
         Plants bruised or shaven in leaf or root. --Bacon.
4. To skim along or near the surface of; to pass close to, or
   touch lightly, in passing.
         Now shaves with level wing the deep.  --Milton.
5. To strip; to plunder; to fleece. [Colloq.]
{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.]

\Shave\, 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.

\Shave\, n. [AS. scafa, sceafa, a sort of knife. See
{Shave}, v. t.]
1. A thin slice; a shaving. --Wright.
2. A cutting of the beard; the operation of shaving.
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.
4. A hand tool consisting of a sharp blade with a handle at
   each end; a drawing knife; a spokeshave.
5. The act of passing very near to, so as almost to graze;
   as, the bullet missed by a close shave. [Colloq.]
{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.