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surfing the shelves

English translation: looking through the shelves

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:surfing the shelves
Selected answer:looking through the shelves
Entered by: Jack Doughty

08:54 Jun 6, 2015
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Marketing - Food & Drink / restaurant
English term or phrase: surfing the shelves
Cruise over to the bar where you can fuel up with a fresh fruit juice before surfing the shelves.
Ivan Niu
China
Local time: 04:07
looking through the shelves
Explanation:
"Surfing" used here as it is the the Internet - moving around at random looking for something that might interest you.

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Note added at 1 hr (2015-06-06 10:37:10 GMT)
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should read "...as it is on the Internet..."
Selected response from:

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:07
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4looking through the shelves
Jack Doughty
4 +1taking what you want from the shelves
B D Finch
4perusing the gondolas
airmailrpl


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
looking through the shelves


Explanation:
"Surfing" used here as it is the the Internet - moving around at random looking for something that might interest you.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2015-06-06 10:37:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

should read "...as it is on the Internet..."

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:07
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: browsing the shelves
18 mins
  -> Thank you. Yes, that would be the more normal word to use.
agree  Suzan Hamer: Plenty of definitions online: searching haphazardly, looking at a variety of things casually, browsing (looking through or glancing at casually), etc.
19 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Charles Davis
1 hr
  -> Thank you.
agree  Jean-Claude Gouin
11 hrs
  -> Тhank you.
neutral  Edith Kelly: IMO D B Finch's answer is more to the point
22 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
perusing the gondolas


Explanation:
surfing the shelves => perusing the gondolas

Hot & Now: 10 Sephora New Arrivals | StyleBlazer
www.styleblazer.com/402138/hot-and-now-sephora-new-arrivals...
May 28, 2015 - Aren't you tired of perusing the gondolas at Sephora and wondering which beauty products are the trendiest? Well, before you go asking your ...

Fauntleroy Place | Slog | The Stranger | Seattle's Only ...
www.slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/fauntelroy_place
The Stranger
Dec 30, 2007 - I'm more of a bedazzler, me. And a crafter. M, I too have spent many hours perusing the gondolas of weird snaps and fittings and elastics.

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 17:07
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
taking what you want from the shelves


Explanation:
This is not just about looking at the shelves, it means looking and taking. It is not clear from your question whether this is an in-store restaurant where the shelves are merchandise to buy and take home, or whether they are shelves of food in a self-service restaurant.

Owners of badly-trained dogs frequently complain of their pets "counter surfing", which means that the dog helps itself to food from the kitchen worksurface. (The
US term "counter" is used for this expression, even in UK English.)

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Note added at 8 hrs (2015-06-06 17:49:22 GMT)
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www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/counter-surfing.htmlD... why your dog steals, thieves and counter surfs for food and other household items. Also learn how to put a stop to this counter surfing behavior with the ...

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Note added at 8 hrs (2015-06-06 17:50:29 GMT)
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Note also that "couchsurfing" does not mean looking at couches.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 22:07
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 10

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Edith Kelly
13 hrs
  -> Thanks Edith
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