shade
the comparative darkness caused by the interception or screening of rays of light from an object, place, or area.
a place or an area of comparative darkness, such as one sheltered from the sun.
a lampshade.
anything used for protection against excessive light, heat, etc.
a shadow.
the degree of darkness of a color, determined by the quantity of black or by the lack of illumination.
comparative darkness, as the effect of shadow or dark and light, in pictorial representation; the dark part, or a dark part, of a picture or drawing.
(in architectural shades and shadows) a shadow upon those parts of a solid that are tangent to or turned away from the parallel rays from the theoretical light source.: Compare shadow (def. 11).
shades,
Informal. sunglasses.
darkness gathering at the close of day: Shades of night are falling.
a reminder of something: shades of the Inquisition.
a slight variation or degree: a shade of difference.
a little bit; touch, especially of something that may change the color of or lighten or darken something else: coffee with a shade of cream.
Usually shades. a secluded or obscure place: He was living in the shades.
comparative obscurity.
Slang. insults, criticism, or disrespect delivered in an indirect, artful manner: The network cast some subtle shade at its rival with its new advertisement.No shade to anyone with kids out there, but I could never be a parent.
a specter or ghost.
Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology. one of the spirits of the dead inhabiting Hades.
the shades, Hades, as the abode of the spirits of the dead.
to produce comparative darkness in or on.
to obscure, dim, or darken.
to screen or hide from view.
to protect (something) from light, heat, etc., by or as if by a screen: It is important to shade the eyes from a bright light.
to cover or screen (a candle, light, etc.): Shade the light to protect your eyes.
Fine Arts.
to introduce degrees of darkness into (a drawing or painting) in order to render light and shadow or give the effect of color.
to render the values of light and dark in (a drawn figure, object, etc.), especially in order to create the illusion of three-dimensionality.
to change by imperceptible degrees into something else.
to reduce (the price) by way of a concession.
Slang. to insult, criticize, or disrespect (a person or thing) in an indirect, artful manner: He got into a fight with someone who shaded his mom.
to pass or change by slight graduations, as one color, quality, or thing into another.
shade up, Agriculture. to take shelter (as livestock) from the sun.
Idioms about shade
cast / put someone in / into the shade, to make another person's efforts seem insignificant by comparison; surpass: The architectural brilliance of the celebrated city put the sights of my hometown in the shade.
throw shade, Slang. to insult, criticize, or disrespect a person or thing in an indirect, artful manner:He threw some shade at his former boss.
Origin of shade
1synonym study For shade
regional variation note For shade
Other words for shade
Opposites for shade
Other words from shade
- shade·less, adjective
- shade·less·ness, noun
- in·ter·shade, verb (used with object), in·ter·shad·ed, in·ter·shad·ing.
- sem·i·shade, noun
- un·shade, verb (used with object), un·shad·ed, un·shad·ing.
Words that may be confused with shade
Words Nearby shade
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use shade in a sentence
The poor representation of people of color from around the world, and their range of facial features and skin shades, creates what researchers have called a “demographic bias” built into the technology.
That means the upper tiers of Wrigley are closer to the playing surface than those of parks that opened from 1992 to 2017, which have an average lower-deck shade of 26 percent.
MLB’s Newest Ballpark Is A Shift Away From Retro-Era Stadiums | Travis Sawchik | July 16, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightIn the videos the dogs lie around, keeping cool in the shade.
How to Make Meetings Less Terrible (Ep. 389 Rebroadcast) | Stephen J. Dubner | May 28, 2020 | FreakonomicsAnother element to note was a slight front projection of the skull that not only provided the user with some shade but also provided practical protection from downward angled sword blows aimed at the head.
Know Your Ancient Greek Helmets: From Attic to Phrygian | Dattatreya Mandal | May 19, 2020 | Realm of HistoryTrees provide homes for animals and shade for people on hot days.
Petty, shade, and thirst are my favorite human “virtues” and the trifecta of any good series of “stories.”
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist | Judnick Mayard | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIt took me 1,015 strokes to see this shade of green in a world of orange, and my jaw nearly dropped.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art | Alec Kubas-Meyer | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut publicly throwing shade at Louis Vuitton wasn't Kanye's first fashion faux pas.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s Balmain Campaign: High Fashion Meets Low Culture | Amy Zimmerman | December 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTLater schools empty out children, who race over to play games in the shade.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind | Brin-Jonathan Butler | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn the summer and in hotter regions, they provide shade for parked cars, preventing them from getting too hot.
The Seneschal leaned back, and was concerned to feel his pulses throbbing a shade too quickly.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniThe seeds of some species are of a dark brown while others are of a lighter shade.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.Lady Maude sat alone in her room; the white robes upon her, the orthodox veil, meant to shade her fair face thrown back from it.
Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry WoodNothing will be easier then to throw the Poles into the shade of the picture, or to occupy the foreground with a brilliant review.
Grandfather Mole demanded of Mr. Meadow Mouse, almost as soon as he had stepped just outside the shade of the toadstool.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott Bailey
British Dictionary definitions for shade
/ (ʃeɪd) /
relative darkness produced by the blocking out of light
a place made relatively darker or cooler than other areas by the blocking of light, esp sunlight
a position of relative obscurity
something used to provide a shield or protection from a direct source of light, such as a lampshade
a darker area indicated in a painting, drawing, etc, by shading
a colour that varies slightly from a standard colour due to a difference in hue, saturation, or luminosity: a darker shade of green
a slight amount: a shade of difference
literary a ghost
an archaic word for shadow
put in the shade to appear better than (another); surpass
to screen or protect from heat, light, view, etc
to make darker or dimmer
to represent (a darker area) in (a painting, drawing, etc), by means of hatching, using a darker colour, etc
(also intr) to change or cause to change slightly
to lower (a price) slightly
Origin of shade
1Derived forms of shade
- shadeless, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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