history
From 《晋书·庾翼传》 (Tang dynasty compilation of Jin history): 此辈宜束之高阁，俟天下太平，然后议其任耳 - a general dismisses certain scholars, saying they should be 'tied up and put on a high shelf until peace returns.' The original target was people; modern usage is almost always of ideas, proposals, or objects.
usage
Usually negative - implies neglect, procrastination, or indifference. Common contexts: shelved proposals, unread books, forgotten skills, abandoned plans. Often in 把…束之高阁 or 被束之高阁.
