shade

SHAYD/ʃeɪd/

Pluralshades (some meanings)

Verbshades, shading, shaded

19 meanings of shade

Practice

1
cool dark placenoununcountable
The cool, dark area you get when something blocks the sun.
Like an umbrella for the ground: it keeps the sun off.
We sat in the shade under a big tree.
The dog looked for some shade on the hot day.
UsageSit in the shade; a shadow is a dark shape.
Similarshadow
Oppositesunlight
Note
2
nouncountable
A particular version of a color, such as light blue or dark blue.
Like mixing a little black paint into a color to make it darker.
She painted the wall a soft shade of green.
I really like that dark shade of blue.
UsageSay a shade of blue.
Similartone, hue, tint
Note
3
verbtransitive
To keep strong light or sun off someone or something, for example with your hand, a hat, or a tree.
Like holding an umbrella to keep the sun off someone.
She shaded her eyes with her hand.
Tall trees shade the path all summer.
UsageSay shade your eyes.
Similarshield, screen, shelter, protect
Note
4
darken (drawing)verbtransitive
To make part of a drawing darker.
Like coloring an area darker so it looks like a shadow.
She shaded the background with her pencil.
Shade the circle to make it look round.
UsageYou can also shade in part of a picture.
Similardarken
Oppositelighten
5
nouncountable
A cover you pull down over a window to block the light.
Like a curtain you can roll up and down.
She pulled the shade down to keep the room dark.
The window shade was old and torn.
UsageSay pull down the shade.
Similarblind, screen
6
nouncountable
A cover that fits over a lamp or candle to make its light softer or send it in one direction.
Like a little hat for a light bulb.
The lamp had a pretty cloth shade.
She replaced the broken shade on the bedside lamp.
7
slight amountnouncountable or uncountable
A very small amount or degree of something.
Like just a tiny bit: barely enough to notice.
This shirt is a shade too big for me.
She felt a shade better after resting.
UsageSay a shade too big.
Similartouch, bit
Note
8
brings to mindnounfigurativelycountable or uncountableplural
A quality that reminds you of something else.
Like seeing a little bit of someone in their child.
There was a shade of his old self in the way he laughed.
Her new song has shades of early jazz.
UsageSay shades of + a person or thing.
Similarhint, trace, echo, touch
9
ghostnounliterarycountable or uncountable
The spirit of a dead person, seen as a ghost.
Like a faint, see-through copy of a person who has died.
A pale shade drifted through the ruined hall at midnight.
The grieving widow swore a shade visited her bedside each night.
UsagePeople usually say ghost.
Similarghost, spirit, phantom, specter
Note
10
noun
Dark glasses that you wear to protect your eyes from the sun.
I left my shades in the car, so I had to squint all day at the beach.
Cool shades! Where did you get them?
Similarsunglasses
Note

Less common meanings

11
nounslanguncountable
Small, sneaky insults aimed at someone.
Like a small, hidden poke instead of a punch.
There was a lot of shade in her comment about my cooking.
He threw some shade at his rival during the interview.
UsagePeople say throw shade.
Note
12
verbslangtransitive
To insult someone in a sneaky, indirect way.
Like teasing someone with a smile so it's hard to call out.
Don't shade me just because we disagree.
She shaded her rival in front of everyone.
UsageSay someone shaded a rival.
Similardiss, slight, knock, snub
Oppositecompliment, praise
Note
13
blend graduallyverbintransitive
To slowly become a slightly different color or kind.
Like one color slowly blending into another in a rainbow.
Near the horizon the colors shade slowly into pink.
At dusk the bright blue shades into a soft gray.
UsageSay one color shades into another.
Similarfade, blend, merge
Note
14
adjust slightlyverbtransitive
To change something a little bit.
Like changing one small word so a sentence means something a little different.
I shaded my answer a little so I wouldn't hurt her feelings.
They shade the rules slightly to fit each new case.
UsageSay shade the truth.
Similaradjust, tweak, modify, bend
Note
15
win narrowlyverbtransitive
To win by just a little.
Like winning a race by just the tip of your shoe.
Our team just shaded the game by a single point.
We hope to shade the final by a goal or two.
UsageSay a team shaded it.
Similaredge, win, take
Note
16
shift (fielding)verbintransitive
To move a little from your usual spot on the field.
Like standing a step to one side because you guess where the ball will come.
The shortstop shaded toward second base for the left-handed batter.
Outfielders shade toward right field when a lefty slugger comes up.
UsageSay a fielder shaded toward left.
Similarshift
Note
17
verbobsoletetransitive
To protect or cover someone from harm.
Ere in our own house I do shade my head.
c. 1608, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”Here, shade means to shelter or protect.
Note
18
verbobsoletetransitive
To represent something or stand as an image of it.
Note
19
verb
To shrink a window so that only its top bar shows.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of shade apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 5–11

From Old English sċeadu, meaning "shadow" or "shade".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The noun shade derives from Old English sċeadu. en.wiktionary.org
Old English sċeadu meant shadow or shade. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 3–4, 12–18

From the Middle English verb schaden, which came from the noun.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The English verb shade derives from the Middle English verb schaden. en.wiktionary.org
Middle English schaden was derived from the noun schade, meaning shade or shadow. en.wiktionary.org