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Webster 1913 Edition

Shade

Shade

(shād)
,
Noun.
[OE.
shade
,
shadewe
,
schadewe
, AS.
sceadu
,
scead
; akin to OS.
skado
, D.
schaduw
, OHG.
scato
, (gen.
scatewes
), G.
schatten
, Goth.
skadus
, Ir. & Gael.
sgath
, and probably to Gr.
σκότοσ
darkness. √162. Cf.
Shadow
,
Shed
a hat.]
1.
Comparative obscurity owing to interception or interruption of the rays of light; partial darkness caused by the intervention of something between the space contemplated and the source of light.
☞ Shade differs from shadow as it implies no particular form or definite limit; whereas a shadow represents in form the object which intercepts the light. When we speak of the shade of a tree, we have no reference to its form; but when we speak of measuring a pyramid or other object by its shadow, we have reference to its form and extent.
2.
Darkness; obscurity; – often in the plural.
The
shades
of night were falling fast.
Longfellow.
3.
An obscure place; a spot not exposed to light; hence, a secluded retreat.
Let us seek out some desolate
shade
, and there
Weep our sad bosoms empty.
Shakespeare
4.
That which intercepts, or shelters from, light or the direct rays of the sun; hence, also, that which protects from heat or currents of air; a screen; protection; shelter; cover;
as, a lamp
shade
.
The Lord is thy
shade
upon thy right hand.
Ps. cxxi. 5.
Sleep under a fresh tree’s
shade
.
Shakespeare
Let the arched knife well sharpened now assail the spreading
shades
of vegetables.
J. Philips.
5.
Shadow.
[Poetic.]
Envy will merit, as its
shade
, pursue.
Pope.
6.
The soul after its separation from the body; – so called because the ancients it to be perceptible to the sight, though not to the touch; a spirit; a ghost;
as, the
shades
of departed heroes
.
Swift as thought the flitting
shade

Thro' air his momentary journey made.
Dryden.
7.
(Painting, Drawing, etc.)
The darker portion of a picture; a less illuminated part. See Def. 1, above.
8.
Degree or variation of color, as darker or lighter, stronger or paler;
as, a delicate
shade
of pink
.
White, red, yellow, blue, with their several degrees, or
shades
and mixtures, as green only in by the eyes.
Locke.
9.
A minute difference or variation, as of thought, belief, expression, etc.; also, the quality or degree of anything which is distinguished from others similar by slight differences;
as, the
shades
of meaning in synonyms
.
New
shades
and combinations of thought.
De Quincey.
Every
shade
of religious and political opinion has its own headquarters.
Macaulay.
The Shades
,
the Nether World; the supposed abode of souls after leaving the body.

Shade

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Shaded
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Shading
.]
1.
To shelter or screen by intercepting the rays of light; to keep off illumination from.
Milton.
I went to crop the sylvan scenes,
And
shade
our altars with their leafy greens.
Dryden.
2.
To shelter; to cover from injury; to protect; to screen; to hide;
as, to
shade
one's eyes
.
Ere in our own house I do
shade
my head.
Shakespeare
3.
To obscure; to dim the brightness of.
Thou
shad'st

The full blaze of thy beams.
Milton.
4.
To pain in obscure colors; to darken.
5.
To mark with gradations of light or color.
6.
To present a shadow or image of; to shadow forth; to represent.
[Obs.]
[The goddess] in her person cunningly did
shade

That part of Justice which is Equity.
Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition

Shade

SHADE

,
Noun.
[L. scutum, a shield.]
1. Literally, the interception, cutting of or interruption of the rays of light; hence, the obscurity which is caused by such interception. Shad differs from shadow, as it implies no particular form or definite limit. whereas a shadow represents in form the object which intercepts the light. Hence when we say, let us resort to the shade of a tree, we have no reference to its form; but when we speak of measuring a pyramid or other object by its shadow, we have reference to its extent.
2. Darkness; obscurity; as the shades of night.
3. An obscure place, properly in a grove or close wood, which precludes the sun's rays; an hence, a secluded retreat.
Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there
Weep our sad bosoms empty. Shak.
4. A screen; something that intercepts light or heat.
5. Protection; shelter. [See Shadow.]
6. In painting, the dark part of the picture.
7. Degree or gradation of light.
White, red, yellow, blue, with their several degrees, or shades and mixtures, as green, come only in by the eyes. Locke.
8. A shadow. [See Shadow.]
Envy will merit, as its shade, pursue. Pope. [This is allowable in poetry.]
9. The soul, after its separation from the body; so called because the ancients supposed it to be perceptible to the sight, not to the touch; a spirit; aghost; as the shades of departed heroes.
Swift as thought, the flitting shade- Dryden.

SHADE

,
Verb.
T.
1. To shelter or screen from light by intercepting its rays; and when applied to the rays of the sun, it segnifies to shelter from light and heat; as, a large tree shades the plants under its branches; shaded vegetables rarely come to perfection.
I went to the sylvan scenes,
And shade our altars with their leafy greens. Dryden.

Definition 2024

shade

shade

English

Noun

shade ‎(countable and uncountable, plural shades)

  1. (uncountable) Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.
    The old oak tree gave shade in the heat of the day.‎
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 8, in The Celebrity:
      Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet: […] .
  2. (countable) Something that blocks light, particularly in a window.
    Close the shade, please: it's too bright in here.‎
  3. (countable) A variety of a colour/color, in particular one obtained by adding black (compare tint).
    I've painted my room in five lovely shades of pink and chartreuse.‎
    • John Locke (1632-1705)
      Thus light and colours, as white, red, yellow, blue, with their several degrees or shades, and mixtures, as green, scarlet, purple, sea-green, and the rest, come in only by the eyes […]
  4. (figuratively) A subtle variation in a concept.
    shades of meaning‎
    • Thomas De Quincey (1785-1859)
      new shades and combinations of thought
    • Thomas Macaulay (1800-1859)
      Every shade of religious and political opinion has its own headquarters.
  5. (figuratively) An aspect that is reminiscent of something.
    shades of Groucho‎
  6. A very small degree of a quantity, or variety of meaning
    • Agatha Christie, Miss Marple Tells a Story
      Mrs. Rhodes who (so I gathered from Mr. Petherick's careful language) was perhaps just a shade of a hypochondriac, had retired to bed immediately after dinner.
  7. (archaic or literary) A ghost.
    Too long have I been haunted by that shade.‎
    • John Dryden (1631-1700)
      Swift as thought the flitting shade / Thro' air his momentary journey made.
  8. (archaic) A creature that is partially human and partially angel.
    He was attacked by a shade.‎
  9. (countable) A postage stamp showing an obvious difference in colour/color to the original printing and needing a separate catalogue/catalog entry.
  10. (uncountable, originally gay slang) Subtle insults.
    throw shade‎
Translations

Etymology 2

From Old English sceadwian.

Verb

shade ‎(third-person singular simple present shades, present participle shading, simple past and past participle shaded)

  1. (transitive) To shield from light.
    The old oak tree shaded the lawn in the heat of the day.
  2. (transitive) To alter slightly.
    You'll need to shade your shot slightly to the left.
    Most politicians will shade the truth if it helps them.
  3. (intransitive) To vary or approach something slightly, particularly in color.
    The hillside was bright green, shading towards gold in the drier areas.
    • Edmund Gurney
      This small group will be most conveniently treated with the emotional division, into which it shades.
  4. (intransitive, baseball, of a defensive player) To move slightly from one's normal fielding position.
    Jones will shade a little to the right on this pitch count.
  5. (transitive) To darken, particularly in drawing.
    I draw contours first, gradually shading in midtones and shadows.
  6. To surpass by a narrow margin.
    Both parties claimed afterwards that their man did best in the debate, but an early opinion poll suggested Mr Cameron shaded it.
  7. (transitive, obsolete) To shelter; to cover from injury; to protect; to screen.
    • Shakespeare
      Ere in our own house I do shade my head.
  8. (transitive, obsolete) To present a shadow or image of; to shadow forth; to represent.
    • Spenser
      [The goddess] in her person cunningly did shade / That part of Justice which is Equity.
Derived terms
  • umshade
Translations

Derived terms

Related terms

Anagrams

Etymology

Old English sceadu, from Proto-Germanic *skadwō.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʃeɪd/
  • Rhymes: -eɪd

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