- shave (v.)
- Old English sceafan "to scrape, shave, polish," from Proto-Germanic *skabanan (cf. Old Norse skafa, Middle Dutch scaven, German schaben, Gothic skaban), from PIE *skabh-, collateral form of root *(s)kep- "to cut, to scrape, to hack" (cf. Greek skaptein "to dig," Latin scabere "to scratch, scrape;" see shear). Related: Shaved; shaving. Original strong verb status is preserved in past tense form shaven. Specifically in reference to cutting the hair close from mid-13c. Figurative sense of "to strip (someone) of money or possessions" is attested from late 14c.
- shave (n.)
- c.1600, "something shaved off;" from shave (v.); Old English sceafa meant "tool for shaving." Meaning "a grazing touch" is recorded from 1834. Shaver "one who shaves" is recorded from early 15c.; sense of "fellow, chap" is slang from 1590s; phrase a close shave is from 1856, on notion of "a slight, grazing touch."