shade

1 of 2

noun

ˈshād 

1

a

: comparative darkness or obscurity owing to interception of the rays of light

b

: relative obscurity or retirement

2

a

: shelter (as by foliage) from the heat and glare of sunlight

b

: a place sheltered from the sun

3

: an evanescent or unreal appearance

4

shades plural

a

: the shadows that gather as darkness comes on

b

: netherworld, hades

5

a

: a disembodied spirit : ghost

b

—used to signal the similarity between a previously encountered person or situation and one at hand

—usually used in plural

shades of my childhood

6

: something that intercepts or shelters from light, sun, or heat: such as

a

: a device partially covering a lamp so as to reduce glare

b

: a flexible screen usually mounted on a roller for regulating the light or the view through a window

c

shades plural : sunglasses

7

a

: the reproduction of the effect of shade in painting or drawing

b

: a subdued or somber feature

8

a

: a color produced by a pigment or dye mixture having some black in it

b

: a color slightly different from the one under consideration

9

a

: a minute difference or variation : nuance

b

: a minute degree or quantity

10

: a facial expression of sadness or displeasure

shadeless

ˈshād-ləs 

adjective

shade

2 of 2

verb

shaded; shading

transitive verb

1

a

: to shelter or screen by intercepting radiated light or heat

b

: to cover with a shade

2

: to hide partly by or as if by a shadow

3

: to darken with or as if with a shadow

4

: to better or exceed by a shade

5

a

: to represent the effect of shade or shadow on

b

: to add shading to

c

: to color so that the shades pass gradually from one to another

6

: to change by gradual transition or qualification

7

: to reduce slightly

shade a price

8

: slant, bias

intransitive verb

1

: to pass by slight changes or imperceptible degrees

2

: to undergo or exhibit minute difference or variation

shader noun

Phrases

throw shade

US slang

: to express contempt or disrespect for someone publicly especially by subtle or indirect insults or criticisms

Christopher Oram's elegant set is a pillared palazzo; at cafe tables wasp-waisted women sip tiny cups of espresso and throw shade at their rivals from behind dark glasses …

—Sam Marlowe

Synonyms

Noun

• dusk
• penumbra
• shadiness
• shadow
• umbra

Verb

• shadow

Examples of shade in a Sentence

Noun

The buildings cast shade on the plaza.

The tree provided plenty of shade.

These plants grow well in shade.

It was a hot sunny day, but luckily their seats for the game were in the shade.

We sat in the shade of a willow tree.

He used his hand as a shade as he looked out into the bright sunlight.

a lamp with a broken shade

She pulled down the shades.

She was wearing a cool pair of shades.

Verb

Several large trees shade the house.

She shaded the drawing to give it depth.

The shaded part of the graph represents the amount of sales.

The article shaded the truth by revealing only one side of the story.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

My favorite is the blue shade, which looks great in every season. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2024

And in a city like D.C., the neighborhoods with shade are like 10 degrees cooler than the neighborhoods—usually less affluent ones—where trees are scarcer. —Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024

Verb

Upgrade your property and value by adding certain special features to your property like a pool, sauna, or shaded area like pergola or gazebo. —Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2024

Often its translucent shade but sometimes a skin-tone hue (shade Dune for me), to achieve my no-makeup makeup look. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English sceadu; akin to Old High German scato shadow, Greek skotos darkness

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing shade

• a shade
• have it made in the shade
• put (someone or something) in the shade
• shade-grown
• shade into
• shade tree
• throw shade
• window shade

Kids Definition

shade

1 of 2 noun

ˈshād 

1

: partial darkness

the trees cast shade

2

: space sheltered from the heat and bright light of the sun

sit in the shade of a tree

3

plural : the shadows that gather as darkness falls

the shades of night

4

: spirit entry 1 sense 2b, ghost

5

: something that blocks off or cuts down light, sun, or heat

a lamp shade

a window shade

6

: the darkening of some objects in a painting or drawing to suggest that they are in shade

7

: the darkness or lightness of a color

four shades of brown

8

: a very small difference or amount

just a shade taller

shades of meaning

shadeless

-ləs 

adjective

shade

2 of 2 verb

shaded; shading

1

: to shelter from light or heat

2

: to mark with changes of light or color

shade a drawing

3

: to show or begin to have slight differences of color, value, or meaning

shader noun