OFF-THE-SHELF Definition & Meaning

off-the-shelf

[awf-thuh-shelf, of-]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

readily available from merchandise in stock.
made according to a standardized format; not developed for specialized or individual needs; ready-made.
off-the-shelf computer programs.

off the shelf

adverb

from stock and readily available
you can have this model off the shelf

adjective

of or relating to a product that is readily available
an off-the-shelf model
of or denoting a company that has been registered with the Registrar of Companies for the sole purpose of being sold

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of off-the-shelf¹

First recorded in 1945–50

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Idioms and Phrases

Ready-made, available from merchandise or in stock, as opposed to a special order. For example, Sometimes you can get a better discount by buying an appliance off the shelf. [First half of 1900s] Also see off the rack; on the shelf.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"Most homegrown brands rely on off-the-shelf soles from the market, but when we started Comet, we realized that these were lacking in quality, durability, and grip," he says.

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Besides potential advantages in speed, modular construction promises greater affordability and an off-the-shelf solution simpler to manage than designing a custom home.

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In 2023, the council announced it would purchase a new "off-the-shelf" housing system to deal with ongoing tech problems following the hack.

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In the end, they were able to use an off-the-shelf, pretrained image diffusion model to create smooth, realistic-looking 3D shapes without the need for costly retraining.

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The drones are modified off-the-shelf models which have cameras to send video back to their remote operators.

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off-the-record off the top of one's head

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