razor

razor — noun

1. A small hand-held tool with a very sharp blade, designed for removing hair from

1.nounB1
Definition

A small hand-held tool with a very sharp blade, designed for removing hair from the surface of the skin, especially on a person's face, legs, or underarms.

Example

Chidi rinsed his razor under the tap after shaving his beard.

collocation: rinse a razor

Most modern razors have two or three blades to give a closer shave.

common compound: modern razors

Common collocations
  • electric razor
  • safety razor
  • straight razor
  • disposable razor
  • razor blade
  • sharp razor
  • dull razor
Synonyms
  • shaver

    Usually implies an electric device, unlike the general term 'razor' which includes manual blade types

  • blade

    Refers specifically to the cutting edge part, not the whole tool

Grammar Patterns

[compound] razor

electric / safety / straight razor

Usage Note

Frequently combined with a type word to indicate the mechanism: 'electric razor', 'safety razor', 'straight razor', 'disposable razor'. The blade itself is called a 'razor blade'.

Common Mistakes

I cut myself with a shaver.
I cut myself with a razor.
A 'shaver' usually refers to an electric grooming device, while a 'razor' has an exposed metal blade.
Idioms

be on the razor’s edge | be on a razor edge

idiom

To be in a risky situation where one small error can cause serious problems.

The company's finances are on a razor edge this quarter.

After the earthquake, the rescue team worked on the razor's edge.

razor — verb

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'razor' is the general term for any tool with a sharp edge used to remove hair, covering both manual types (straight razor, safety razor, disposable razor) and electric models. A 'shaver' almost always refers to an electric device that moves a foil or rotary head across the skin — it is a subcategory of razors. 'Blade' is narrower still: it names only the thin cutting piece of metal within a razor, not the whole handle or mechanism. For everyday speech, 'razor' is the safest broad term; use 'shaver' when the electric mechanism matters to the context (e.g., travel restrictions on batteries), and 'blade' only when the sharpness or replaceability of the cutting edge itself is the point.

razor ↗shaverblade ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

  • with a razor

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'razor' entered English around the 13th century from Old French 'raser' (meaning 'to shave'), which in turn came from Latin 'radere' ('to scrape or scratch'). The spelling shifted over time from Middle English 'rasour' to the modern 'razor'. The sense of a very close-cutting tool has stayed remarkably stable across centuries.