Off the shelf

Posted by Pamela on May 06, 2007

In Reply to: Off the shelf posted by Bruce Kahl on May 05, 2007

: : What is the meaning of the phrase "off the shelf"?

: It means "not special".
: If something is off the shelf then it is very common as opposed to something that is made to order or custom-built.

The shelf in question is a supermarket or shop shelf - you can just walk in and buy the item. Pamela