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4 PHRASE If you buy something off the shelf , you buy something that is not specially made for you. [BRIT ] □  …off-the-shelf software.

she lf life (shelf lives ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The shelf life of a product, especially food, is the length of time that it can be kept in a shop or at home before it becomes too old to sell or use. □  Mature flour has a longer shelf life.

shell ◆◇◇ /ʃe l/ (shells , shelling , shelled )

1 N‑COUNT The shell of a nut or egg is the hard covering which surrounds it. □  They cracked the nuts and removed their shells. ● N‑UNCOUNT Shell is the substance that a shell is made of. □  …beads made from ostrich egg shell.

2 N‑COUNT The shell of an animal such as a tortoise, snail, or crab is the hard protective covering that it has around its body or on its back.

3 N‑COUNT Shells are hard objects found on beaches. They are usually pink, white, or brown and are the coverings which used to surround small sea creatures. □  I collect shells and interesting seaside items. □  …sea shells.

4 VERB If you shell nuts, peas, prawns, or other food, you remove their natural outer covering. □ [V n] She shelled and ate a few nuts. □ [V -ed] …shelled prawns.

5 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] If someone comes out of their shell , they become more friendly and interested in other people and less quiet, shy, and reserved. □  Her normally shy son had come out of his shell.

6 N‑COUNT The shell of a building, boat, car, or other structure is the outside frame of it. □ [+ of ] …the shells of burned buildings.

7 N‑COUNT A shell is a weapon consisting of a metal container filled with explosives that can be fired from a large gun over long distances.

8 VERB To shell a place means to fire explosive shells at it. □ [V n] The rebels shelled the densely-populated suburbs near the port. ●  shell|ing (shellings ) N‑VAR □  Out on the streets, the shelling continued.

▸  shell out PHRASAL VERB If you shell out for something, you spend a lot of money on it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n + for/on ] You won't have to shell out a fortune for it. □ [V P + for/on ] …an insurance premium which saves you from having to shell out for repairs. [Also V P to-inf]

she'll /ʃiːl, ʃ I l/ She'll is the usual spoken form of 'she will'. □  Sharon was a wonderful lady and I know she'll be greatly missed.

shel|lac /ʃəlæ k/ N‑UNCOUNT Shellac is a kind of natural varnish which you paint on to wood to give it a shiny surface.

she ll com|pa|ny (shell companies ) N‑COUNT A shell company is a company that another company takes over in order to use its name to gain an advantage. [BUSINESS ]

shell|fire /ʃe lfa I ə ^r / N‑UNCOUNT Shellfire is the firing of large military guns. □  The radio said other parts of the capital also came under shellfire.

shell|fish /ʃe lf I ʃ/ (shellfish ) N‑VAR [usu pl] Shellfish are small creatures that live in the sea and have a shell. □  Fish and shellfish are the specialities.

she ll pro|gram (shell programs ) N‑COUNT A shell program is a basic computer program that provides a framework within which the user can develop the program to suit their own needs. [COMPUTING ]

she ll shock also shell-shock N‑UNCOUNT Shell shock is the confused or nervous mental condition of people who have been under fire in a war. □  The men were suffering from shell shock.

she ll-shocked also shell shocked

1 ADJ If you say that someone is shell-shocked , you mean that they are very shocked, usually because something bad has happened. [INFORMAL ] □  We were shell-shocked when Chelsea took the lead. □  …shell-shocked investors.

2 ADJ If someone is shell-shocked , they have a confused or nervous mental condition as a result of a shocking experience such as being in a war or an accident. □  …a shell-shocked war veteran.