shade

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

    Why did you paint your room chartreuse? No shade; I'm genuinely curious.

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

Related terms

• shadow