# shine

Pronunciation: say "SHYN" /ʃaɪn/

## Verb

1. To give off or reflect light so as to look bright or glowing.
   - Simple: To give off light or look bright because light falls on it.
   - _Polished brass fixtures shine under the gallery lights._
   - _The full moon shone over the calm water._
2. To distinguish oneself by performing exceptionally well.
   - Simple: To do something very well, so that people notice you.
   - _New employees shine when given a chance to lead a project._
   - _He shone throughout the negotiations, impressing everyone in the room._
4. To cause a light or a reflective surface to give off or send out brightness.
   - Simple: To make a light or a surface send brightness onto something.
   - _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._
5. To be immediately apparent or obvious.
   - Simple: To be very easy to see or notice right away.
   - _His talent shines whenever he steps on stage._
   - _Honesty tends to shine in moments of crisis._
7. To make something bright and glossy by rubbing it; to polish it, as with shoes or a cricket ball.
   - Simple: To rub something so it becomes bright and shiny.
   - _The valet shined every pair of boots until they gleamed._
   - _Soldiers shine their belt buckles to a mirror finish before inspection._

## Noun

3. Brightness, either the light given off by something or the gloss of a polished surface.
   - Simple: Brightness or gloss. It is the light that something gives off or reflects.
   - _The shine of the marble floor reflected the chandelier above._
   - _A high shine on the wood gave the room a polished look._
6. Sunshine or fair weather, especially as contrasted with rain.
   - Simple: Sunny weather, when it is not raining.
   - _The farmers' market opens every Saturday morning, rain or shine._
   - _The parade will go ahead on Sunday, rain or shine, the organizers promised._
8. Brilliance or excellence, whether in quality or in appearance.
   - Simple: Great quality or beauty that makes something stand out.
   - _The championship win added real shine to the club's reputation._
   - _Her lively performance gave the otherwise ordinary film a shine it badly needed._
9. A polishing of shoes to a glossy finish.
   - Simple: A polish that makes shoes look smooth and bright.
   - _He gave his loafers a quick shine on the way to court._
   - _A good shine can make worn dress shoes look new again._
10. A liking or fondness for someone or something, often formed quickly. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A feeling of liking someone or something, often very quickly.
   - _Grandpa took an immediate shine to his future son-in-law._
   - _The teacher had clearly taken a shine to her brightest student._
11. Illegally distilled liquor, especially homemade strong spirits. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Strong alcohol made secretly and against the law.
   - _Granddad kept a jug of shine hidden behind the woodpile._
   - _The agents poured the confiscated shine straight into the river._
12. A derogatory and highly offensive slur for a Black person. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A cruel and offensive insult aimed at a Black person.
   - _The foreman degraded the new hire by calling him a shine in front of the crew._
   - _He grew up being called a shine more times than he cared to remember._

## Noun

13. A caper, prank, or noisy commotion. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A funny trick or a loud, noisy fuss.

## Other meanings

- (noun) The degree of glossiness on a cricket ball, or on each of its two sides.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–6, 8–13** — From Middle English shinen, from Old English sċīnan ("to shine, flash, be resplendent"), from Proto-West Germanic *skīnan and Proto-Germanic *skīnaną, both meaning "to shine."
**Meaning 7** — Probably from the noun shine (Middle English schyne, "a beam of light," itself made from the verb), though it may instead continue older verbs meaning "to make shine."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/shine (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).