Shave vs. Shorn — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 25, 2023
"Shave" means to cut hair close to the skin with a razor; "Shorn" is the past participle of shear, meaning to cut off hair or wool.
Difference Between Shave and Shorn
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Key Differences
The terms "Shave" and "Shorn" have unique meanings and uses in the English language, and it's crucial to understand their differences for accurate communication. "Shave" refers to the act of cutting the hair, usually on the face or body, close to the skin, typically using a razor or other sharp instrument. This term is commonly associated with the daily grooming routine of removing facial hair but can also be applied to other parts of the body.
Conversely, "Shorn" is the past participle of the verb "shear," primarily denoting the act of cutting off hair, wool, or fleece, often from sheep. Unlike shaving, shearing doesn’t necessarily imply cutting close to the skin. The term "shorn" is commonly encountered in agricultural contexts, where it’s crucial to shear sheep to obtain wool.
The differentiation between "Shave" and "Shorn" is not only based on the context in which they are used but also on their grammatical properties. "Shave" is predominantly utilized as a verb to describe the action of cutting hair close to the skin. In contrast, "Shorn" serves as the past participle of "shear," employed to describe the state of having been sheared, focusing on the outcome of the cutting action, particularly in relation to wool-bearing animals.
Using "Shave" accurately implies a precise and deliberate action typically involving the use of a sharp instrument like a razor, and it's most frequently associated with grooming practices. On the other hand, the appropriate use of "Shorn" is broader and more versatile, covering instances where hair or wool has been cut or clipped, without specifying the closeness of the cut to the skin, and is often used to describe the state of animals after being sheared.
It’s vital to select "Shave" or "Shorn" based on the context of the conversation, the subject involved, and the intended meaning, ensuring that the chosen word accurately conveys the action or state being described and aligns with standard language conventions.
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
To cut hair close to the skin
Past participle of shear, to cut off hair/wool
Usage
Predominantly a verb
Used as past participle of shear
Context
Commonly associated with daily grooming routine
Primarily related to cutting wool from sheep
Grammatical Role
Active action of cutting hair
Describes state of having been sheared
Application
Typically involves facial or body hair
Often applies to wool-bearing animals
Compare with Definitions
Shave
To cut hair from the skin’s surface, usually with a razor.
Every morning, he would shave his beard meticulously.
Shorn
Deprived or stripped of something.
He stood, a man shorn of all his possessions and dignity.
Shave
To remove the beard or other body hair from, with a razor or shaver
The barber lathered his face and then shaved him.
Shorn
Reduced or lessened by a specified amount.
The days are now shorn of the warmth of summer, signaling the arrival of fall.
Shave
To cut (the beard, for example) at the surface of the skin with a razor or shaver.
Shorn
Having had hair, wool, or other growths cut or clipped off.
The shorn sheep wandered back into the field, much lighter without their fleece.
Shave
To crop, trim, or mow closely
Shave a meadow.
Shorn
Cut off or removed by shearing.
The fields were filled with shorn wool after the shearing was done.
Shave
To remove thin slices from
Shave a board.
Shorn
Having undergone the cutting or removal of hair, wool, or similar growths.
The landscape looked stark with the trees shorn of their leaves.
Shave
To cut or scrape into thin slices; shred
Shave chocolate.
Shorn
A past participle of shear.
Shave
To come close to or graze in passing.
Shorn
Inflection of shear
Shave
(transitive) To make (the head, skin etc.) bald or (the hair) shorter by using a tool such as a razor or electric clippers to cut the hair close to the skin.
Shorn
Of a sheep, etc., having been shorn.
Shave
(transitive) To cut anything in this fashion.
Shorn
Of a person, having had a haircut.
Shave
(intransitive) To remove hair from one's face by this means.
I had little time to shave this morning.
Shorn
Having the hair or wool cut or clipped off as if with shears or clippers;
Picked up the baby's shorn curls from the floor
Naked as a sheared sheep
Shave
(transitive) To cut finely, as with slices of meat.
Shave
To skim along or near the surface of; to pass close to, or touch lightly, in passing.
Shave
To reduce in size or weight.
Shave
To be hard and severe in a bargain with; to practice extortion on; to cheat.
Shave
To buy (a note) at a discount greater than the legal rate of interest, or to deduct in discounting it more than the legal rate allows.
Shave
An instance of shaving.
I instructed the barber to give me a shave.
Shave
A thin slice; a shaving.
Shave
An exorbitant discount on a note.
Shave
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.
Shave
A hand tool consisting of a sharp blade with a handle at each end; a spokeshave.
Shave
(informal) A narrow miss or escape; a close shave.
Shave
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.
Shave
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.
The laborer with the bending scythe is seenShaving the surface of the waving green.
Shave
To cut off thin slices from; to cut in thin slices.
Plants bruised or shaven in leaf or root.
Shave
To skim along or near the surface of; to pass close to, or touch lightly, in passing.
Now shaves with level wing the deep.
Shave
To strip; to plunder; to fleece.
Shave
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
A thin slice; a shaving.
Shave
A cutting of the beard; the operation of shaving.
Shave
An exorbitant discount on a note.
Shave
A hand tool consisting of a sharp blade with a handle at each end; a drawing knife; a spokeshave.
Shave
The act of passing very near to, so as almost to graze; as, the bullet missed by a close shave.
Shave
The act of removing hair with a razor
Shave
Remove body hair with a razor
Shave
Cut closely;
Trim my beard
Shave
Cut the price of
Shave
Cut or remove with or as if with a plane;
The machine shaved off fine layers from the piece of wood
Shave
Make shavings of or reduce to shavings;
Shave the radish
Shave
Touch the surface of lightly;
His back shaved the counter in passing
Shave
To remove hair by cutting it close to the skin.
She decided to shave her legs before going to the beach.
Shave
To cut something off very thinly.
The chef used a sharp knife to shave slices of truffle.
Shave
To skim or graze the surface lightly.
The plane seemed to shave the treetops as it descended.
Shave
To reduce or diminish slightly.
They managed to shave a few seconds off the previous record time.
Common Curiosities
Are "Shave" and "Shorn" synonymous?
No, "Shave" refers to cutting hair close to the skin, usually with a razor, while "Shorn" is the past participle of shear, meaning to cut off hair or wool, not necessarily close to the skin.
Can "Shave" only refer to facial hair?
No, "Shave" can refer to cutting any hair close to the skin, not just facial hair.
Is "Shorn" exclusively used for sheep?
While commonly associated with sheep, "Shorn" can refer to cutting off hair or wool from any source.
Can "Shorn" indicate deprivation?
Yes, "Shorn" can symbolize being deprived or stripped of something, like possessions or dignity.
Is "Shorn" used in everyday language?
"Shorn" is less commonly used in everyday conversation and is more formal or literary.
Can "Shave" imply cutting very thinly?
Yes, "Shave" can imply cutting off something very thinly or grazing the surface lightly.
Can "Shave" also refer to reducing something?
Yes, "Shave" can metaphorically mean reducing or trimming something, such as shaving time off a record.
Can "Shorn" be used to describe landscapes?
Yes, "Shorn" can be metaphorically used to describe landscapes, like trees shorn of their leaves.
Can "Shave" be used as a noun?
Yes, "Shave" can also be a noun referring to the act or an instance of shaving.
Can "Shave" refer to any hair on the body?
Yes, "Shave" can refer to cutting hair from any part of the body close to the skin.
Can "Shorn" reflect a state after an action?
Yes, "Shorn" primarily reflects a state of having been sheared or cut.
Is "Shave" always about cutting close to the skin?
Typically, but it can also metaphorically refer to reducing or trimming something lightly.
Can "Shave" be used metaphorically?
Yes, "Shave" can be used metaphorically to describe actions like reducing or grazing lightly.
Is "Shorn" a verb?
"Shorn" is not a verb but the past participle of the verb "shear."
Can "Shorn" imply a reduction or loss?
Yes, "Shorn" can imply a state of reduction, loss, or deprivation.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
