shine

[ shahyn ]

/ ʃaɪn /

verb (used without object), shone or shined, shin·ing.

to give forth or glow with light; shed or cast light.

to be bright with reflected light; glisten; sparkle.

(of light) to appear brightly or strongly, especially uncomfortably so: Wear dark glasses so the sun won't shine in your eyes.

to be or appear unusually animated or bright, as the eyes or face.

to appear with brightness or clearness, as feelings.

to excel or be conspicuous: to shine in school.

verb (used with object), shone or shined, shin·ing.

to cause to shine.

to direct the light of (a lamp, mirror, etc.): Shine the flashlight on the steps so I can see.

to put a gloss or polish on; polish (as shoes, silverware, etc.).

noun

radiance or brightness caused by emitted or reflected light.

luster; polish.

sunshine; fair weather.

a polish or gloss given to shoes.

an act or instance of polishing shoes.

Informal. a foolish prank; caper.

Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a black person.

Verb Phrases past and past participle shone or shined; present participle shin·ing.

shine up to, Informal.

to attempt to impress (a person), especially in order to gain benefits for oneself.
to become especially attentive to (one of the opposite sex): Men shine up to her like moths to a light.

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Here is our second set of teacher-selected PSAT vocabulary words. Do you know the meanings of these terms?

Question 1 of 10

advocate

to give up possession or occupancy of.

to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.

to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for shine

come rain or shine,

regardless of the weather.
no matter what the circumstances may be: Come rain or shine, he is always on the job.

Also rain or shine.

take a shine to, Informal. to take a liking or fancy to: That little girl has really taken a shine to you.

Origin of shine

before 900; Middle English s(c)hinen (v.), Old English scīnan; cognate with Dutch schijnen, German scheinen, Old Norse skīna, Gothic skeinan

SYNONYMS FOR shine

1 glimmer, shimmer. Shine, beam, glare refer to the emitting or reflecting of light. Shine refers to a steady glowing or reflecting of light: to shine in the sun. That which beams gives forth a radiant or bright light: to beam like a star. Glare refers to the shining of a light that is not only bright but so strong as to be unpleasant and dazzling: to glare like a headlight.

9 buff, burnish, brighten.

11 gloss, gleam, glow, sheen.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shine ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM shine

un·shined, adjective

Words nearby shine

shin splints, shinar, shinbone, shindig, shindy, shine, shine up to, shiner, shiner perch, shingle, shingle oak

Definition for shine (2 of 2)

shine²

[ shahyn ]

/ ʃaɪn /

noun Slang.

moonshine.

Origin of shine

First recorded in 1935–40; by shortening

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for shine

She attends hip-hop and belly dance classes (known as Arabic dance in Iran) just to shine more at parties.
Iran’s Becoming a Footloose Nation as Dance Lessons Spread|IranWire|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But they are striving “to shine bright like a diamond” and be happy, and we love them for it.
‘Girlhood’: Coming of Age in France’s Projects|Molly Hannon|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hollaback is right to shine a light on these creepy comments from creepy strangers.
Street Harassment Shouldn’t Be a Crime|Lizzie Crocker|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It basically says that now is her time, for her to shine as the lead of a show.
The Good Wife’s Secret Weapon: Matt Czuchry on Cary Agos’s Terrible, Horrible Year|Kevin Fallon|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“A friend indeed, come build me up/Come shed your light, it makes me shine,” she sings.
The Swedish Queen of Soulful Pop: Mapei Won’t Wait for You to Listen|Caitlin Dickson|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yes, the sun shines on us, and may it shine on our country's cause.
The Cruise of the "Lively Bee"|John De Morgan
It had been his ambition to make of his son a renowned minister who should shine in controversy, and an eloquent preacher.
The Insect|Jules Michelet
Shine Taylor scrutinized his condition, as he asked for another cigarette.
The Voice on the Wire|Eustace Hale Ball
He asked me if I was going to the Dusenalls' 'shine' to-night.
Geoffrey Hampstead|Thomas Stinson Jarvis
It is not ours to picture what the sun refused to shine upon, and earth shook to behold.
Religious Studies, Sketches and Poems|Harriet Beecher Stowe

British Dictionary definitions for shine

shine

/ (ʃaɪn) /

verb shines, shining or shone

(intr) to emit light

(intr) to glow or be bright with reflected light

(tr) to direct the light of (a lamp, etc)he shone the torch in my eyes

(tr; past tense and past participle shined) to cause to gleam by polishingto shine shoes

(intr) to be conspicuously competent; excelshe shines at tennis

(intr) to appear clearly; be conspicuousthe truth shone out of his words

noun

the state or quality of shining; sheen; lustre

rain or shine or come rain or shine

whatever the weather
regardless of circumstances

informal short for moonshine (def. 2)

informal a liking or fancy (esp in the phrase take a shine to)

Word Origin for shine

Old English scīnan; related to Old Norse skīna, Gothic skeinan, Old High German scīnan to shine, Greek skia shadow

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

Idioms and Phrases with shine

shine

In addition to the idiom beginning with shine

shine up to

also see:

make hay while the sun shines
rain or shine
rise and shine
take a fancy (shine) to

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WORD OF THE DAY

shine

verb (used without object), shone or shined, shin·ing.

verb (used with object), shone or shined, shin·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases past and past participle shone or shined; present participle shin·ing.