shine

Formsshines, shining, shone

Pluralshines

1. 1
   give off lightverbintransitive

   To give off or reflect light so as to look bright or glowing.

   Polished brass fixtures shine under the gallery lights.

   The full moon shone over the calm water.

   UsagePast is usually shone when light is the subject (the moon shone); shined is usual for polishing.

   Similargleam, glow, glitter, sparkle, glisten

   Note

   The oldest layer of the word goes back to Old English sċīnan, a strong verb whose past sċān became modern shone, as in Joseph Conrad's water that "shone pacifically." Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • Shine descends from Old English sċīnan, whose past sċān developed into shone. en.wiktionary.org
   • Old English sċīnan was a strong verb. en.wiktionary.org
   • Conrad described water as having 'shone pacifically'. en.wikisource.org
2. 2
   excelverbintransitive

   To distinguish oneself by performing exceptionally well.

   Like the standout performer who draws every eye in a crowded room.

   New employees shine when given a chance to lead a project.

   He shone throughout the negotiations, impressing everyone in the room.

   UsageUse at for an activity, in for an event, and against for an opponent: shine at football, in the final, against a rival.

   Similarexcel, rock, slay

   Note

   A figurative use at home in match reports, often in the negative: a player who "failed to shine against his former club." Frederick William Robinson's No Man's Friend (1867) writes "he shined at it," so the regular past has long stood beside shone here too. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • The quoted wording occurs in a football match report. en.wiktionary.org
   • Frederick William Robinson wrote No Man's Friend. en.wikipedia.org
   • No Man's Friend contains 'he shined at it', attesting the regular past in this figurative meaning. en.wiktionary.org
3. 3
   glossnouncountable or uncountable

   Brightness, either the light given off by something or the gloss of a polished surface.

   The shine of the marble floor reflected the chandelier above.

   A high shine on the wood gave the room a polished look.

   Similargloss, sheen, luster, polish, glow

   Oppositedullness

4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To cause a light or a reflective surface to give off or send out brightness.

   Rescuers shine powerful lamps across the water to spot survivors.

   Standing at the top of the stairs, she shone her phone's light into the basement to see what had made the noise.

   UsageShine a light on, at or into something. Past: shone or shined.

   Similarlight, illuminate, illumine, irradiate

   Note

   A transitive use that can take either end of the beam as its object. Hunters speak of shining a deer's eyes at night, so the thing lit up becomes the object. Francis Bacon, in the 1625 edition of his Essayes, pairs it with rain: God does not rain wealth or shine virtues upon men equally. What is shone is sent down like weather. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

   • Hunters use shine transitively with a deer's eyes as its object. en.wiktionary.org
   • Bacon pairs rain wealth with shine virtues, describing God's unequal distribution of them. gutenberg.org
5. 5
   show clearlyverbintransitive

   To be immediately apparent or obvious.

   His talent shines whenever he steps on stage.

   Honesty tends to shine in moments of crisis.

   UsageOften shine through: her kindness shines through.

   Similarshow

6. 6
   sunny weathernoununcountable

   Sunshine or fair weather, especially as contrasted with rain.

   The farmers' market opens every Saturday morning, rain or shine.

   The parade will go ahead on Sunday, rain or shine, the organizers promised.

   UsageMostly in rain or shine, meaning whatever the weather. For sunny weather in general, sunshine is more usual.

   Similarsun, sunlight

   Oppositerain

   Note

   The idiom rain or shine, meaning whatever happens, already appears in John Dryden's Sylvae (1685): "be fair or foul, or rain or shine." Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • Rain or shine means whatever happens. en.wiktionary.org
   • Sylvae was first published in 1685. upload.wikimedia.org
   • Dryden's Sylvae contains the quoted words. en.wiktionary.org
7. 7
   polish by rubbingverbtransitive

   To make something bright and glossy by rubbing it; to polish it, as with shoes or a cricket ball.

   The valet shined every pair of boots until they gleamed.

   Soldiers shine their belt buckles to a mirror finish before inspection.

   UsagePast is usually shined here: he shined his shoes. Polish means the same.

   Similarpolish, buff, burnish

   Oppositedull, tarnish

   Note

   A separate branch of the word, most likely made from the noun shine. Old English also seems to have had a causative, scǣnan, meaning to make something gleam, built on the same root as the light-giving verb, and it may have fed this use. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

   • The polishing verb probably derives separately from the noun shine. pdic.sakura.ne.jp
8. 8
   noununcountable

   Brilliance or excellence, whether in quality or in appearance.

   The championship win added real shine to the club's reputation.

   Her lively performance gave the otherwise ordinary film a shine it badly needed.

   UsageOften take the shine off a success, meaning spoil it a little.

   Similarbrilliance, splendor

9. 9
   nouncountable

   A polishing of shoes to a glossy finish.

   He gave his loafers a quick shine on the way to court.

   A good shine can make worn dress shoes look new again.

   UsageUsually give shoes a shine or get a shine.

   Similarpolish, buff

Showing meanings only. Show all 14