shade

[ sheyd ]

noun

1. the comparative darkness caused by the interception or screening of rays of light from an object, place, or area.

   Synonyms: dusk, gloom, obscurity

   Antonyms: glare, light

2. a place or an area of comparative darkness, such as one sheltered from the sun.
3. window shade ( def ).
4. a lampshade.
5. anything used for protection against excessive light, heat, etc.

   Synonyms: screen, veil

6. a shadow.
7. the degree of darkness of a color, determined by the quantity of black or by the lack of illumination.
8. 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.
9. (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 ).
10. shades,
    1. Informal. sunglasses ( def ).
    2. darkness gathering at the close of day:

       Shades of night are falling.

    3. a reminder of something:

       shades of the Inquisition.

11. a slight variation or degree:

    a shade of difference.

    Synonyms: nuance, gradation

12. 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.

    Synonyms: suggestion, hint, trace

13. Usually shades. a secluded or obscure place:

    He was living in the shades.

14. comparative obscurity.
15. Slang. insults, criticism, or disrespect delivered in an indirect, artful manner: No shade to anyone with kids out there, but I could never be a parent.

    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.

16. a specter or ghost.

    Synonyms: spirit, phantom, apparition

17. Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology. one of the spirits of the dead inhabiting Hades.
18. the shades, Hades, as the abode of the spirits of the dead.

verb (used with object)

, shad·ed, shad·ing.

1. to produce comparative darkness in or on.
2. to obscure, dim, or darken.

   Synonyms: obfuscate, blur, cloud

3. to screen or hide from view.

   Synonyms: conceal, shelter

4. 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.

5. to cover or screen (a candle, light, etc.):

   Shade the light to protect your eyes.

6. Fine Arts.
   1. to introduce degrees of darkness into (a drawing or painting) in order to render light and shadow or give the effect of color.
   2. to render the values of light and dark in (a drawn figure, object, etc.), especially in order to create the illusion of three-dimensionality.
7. to change by imperceptible degrees into something else.
8. to reduce (the price) by way of a concession.
9. 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.

verb (used without object)

, shad·ed, shad·ing.

1. to pass or change by slight graduations, as one color, quality, or thing into another.

verb phrase

1. Agriculture. to take shelter (as livestock) from the sun.

shade

/ ʃeɪd /

noun

1. relative darkness produced by the blocking out of light
2. a place made relatively darker or cooler than other areas by the blocking of light, esp sunlight
3. a position of relative obscurity
4. something used to provide a shield or protection from a direct source of light, such as a lampshade
5. a darker area indicated in a painting, drawing, etc, by shading
6. a colour that varies slightly from a standard colour due to a difference in hue, saturation, or luminosity

   a darker shade of green

7. a slight amount

   a shade of difference

8. literary.
   a ghost
9. an archaic word for shadow
10. put in the shade
    to appear better than (another); surpass

verb

1. to screen or protect from heat, light, view, etc
2. to make darker or dimmer
3. to represent (a darker area) in (a painting, drawing, etc), by means of hatching, using a darker colour, etc
4. also intr to change or cause to change slightly
5. to lower (a price) slightly

Derived Forms

• ˈshadeless, adjective

Other Words From

• shade·less adjective
• shade·less·ness noun
• in·ter·shade verb (used with object) intershaded intershading
• sem·i·shade noun
• un·shade verb (used with object) unshaded unshading

Word History and Origins

Origin of shade¹

First recorded before 900; 1960–65 shade fordef 30; 2010–15 shade fordef 31; Middle English noun s(c)hade, Old English sceadu; cognate with German Schatten, Gothic skadus, Greek skótos; verb derivative of the noun; shadow ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of shade¹

Old English sceadu; related to Gothic skadus, Old High German skato, Old Irish scāth shadow, Greek skotos darkness, Swedish skäddä fog

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. 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.

2. 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.

Synonym Study

Shade, shadow imply partial darkness or something less bright than the surroundings. Shade indicates the lesser brightness and heat of an area where the direct rays of light do not fall: the shade of a tree. It differs from shadow in that it implies no particular form or definite limit, whereas shadow often refers to the form or outline of the object that intercepts the light: the shadow of a dog. See curtain.

Example Sentences

I communicate a lot with my eyes, and so we had to find the right shade of green.

From Los Angeles Times

With the character’s green skin shrouded under shades of navy color grading, it’s almost impossible to see Erivo emote in scenes where it counts the most.

From Salon

Steeped in Gothic and Renaissance-era references, Bernad’s romantic designs feature almost exclusively antique lace and crochet in shades of cream and ivory, and sometimes black or the softest pink.

From Los Angeles Times

We watch his grandchildren play tag in the shade of the orchard.

From BBC

"When it comes to urban heat resilience, humidity matters as much as temperature or shade provisions," Lee said.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• hint
• tinge
• variation
• variety

More About Shade

What is a basic definition of shade?

Shade is darkness created from something blocking light or a lighter or darker variation of a color. Shade also means to block light. The word shade has several other senses as a verb and a noun.

When something creates a shadow by blocking light, we say that it provides shade or causes shade. Usually, shade specifically refers to darkness caused by blocking sunlight, but it can result from light of any kind being blocked. If something gives shade or has a lot of shade, we say that it is shady.

• Real-life examples: Trees, umbrellas, and awnings are examples of things that often provide shade.
• Used in a sentence: I hid from the hot sun under the shade of the oak tree. 

Shade also refers to a lighter or darker variation of color. You might like a dark blue, while your friend prefers a lighter shade of blue. The darker shade a color is, the more black it has in it. In contrast, a tint of a color is created when more white is added to it.

• Used in a sentence: I prefer the darker shade of green leaves become in the summer.

Shade also means to provide shadow or to shield something from light.

• Used in a sentence: I shaded my eyes from the bright lights.

The slang phrase to throw shade at someone means to insult or criticize them in an artful but indirect way.

• Used in a sentence: Isabella was so good at throwing shade that her targets often thought she was complimenting them.

Where does shade come from?

The first records of shade come from before the 900s. It ultimately comes from the Old English sceadu, meaning “shadow.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to shade?

• shady (adjective)
• shadeless (adjective)
• shadelessness (noun)
• intershade (verb)
• semishade (noun)
• unshade (verb)

What are some synonyms for shade?

• shadow
• dimness
• blacken
• shield
• conceal

What are some words that share a root or word element with shade? 

• shades
• shading
• lampshade
• window shade
• shades of

What are some words that often get used in discussing shade?

• light
• darkness
• sun
• tree
• umbrella

What are some words shade may be commonly confused with?

• hue
• tint

How is shade used in real life?

Shade is a common word that most often means shadow or darkness caused by something blocking light.

OK, so it's 9 o'clock and 90 degrees. Where are all those trees they took out at Oakmont? I need some shade!

— Ron Sirak (@ronsirak) July 8, 2010

With every degree the weather rises, so does my eagerness to order a hefty case of beers and hide in the shade.

— Dave Jewitt (@IrregularDave) August 6, 2020

Asking for shade in Arizona winters. Man I love this place. #Arizona #sunnyday

— Uncle Dubbies (@P_Dubbel) January 21, 2021

Try using shade!

Which of the following words is most likely to be used to describe shade?

A. silence
B. darkness
C. tasteless
D. odorless