shade
slight darkness caused by something blocking the direct light from the sun
The sun was hot, and there were no trees to offer us shade.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
noun
1 (no plural) a place where it is dark and cool because the sun doesn't shine there:
We sat in the shade of a big tree.
2 (plural shades) a thing that keeps strong light from your eyes:
I bought a new shade for the lamp.
3 (plural shades) how light or dark a colour is:
I'm looking for a shirt in a darker shade of green.
4 shades (plural) (informal) = sunglasses
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
shade
I. shade1 /ʃeɪd/ BrE AmE noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: sceadu]
1. OUT OF SUNLIGHT [uncountable] slight darkness or shelter from the direct light of the sun made by something blocking it:
a plant that needs a lot of shade
in the shade (of something)
She was sitting in the shade of a large oak tree.
The temperature was over 90 degrees in the shade.
2. FOR BLOCKING LIGHT [countable]
a) something you use to reduce or block light:
The shade on the lamp was slightly crooked. ⇨ ↑lampshade
b) American English a covering that can be pulled down over a window SYN blind
3. shades [plural] informal ↑sunglasses
4. IN A PICTURE [uncountable] the dark places in a picture:
strong contrasts of light and shade
5. COLOUR [countable] a particular type of red, green, blue etc
shade of
a bright shade of pink
6. shade of meaning/opinion/feeling etc a meaning etc that is slightly different from other ones SYN nuance:
There is room in the Democratic Party for many shades of opinion.
7. a shade formal very slightly
a shade too big/hot/fast etc
Matt’s clothes were just a shade too big for me.
a shade better/quicker/faster etc
The results were a shade better than we expected.
a shade over/under/above etc
She was a shade under five feet tall.
8. shades of somebody/something used to say that someone or something reminds you of another person or thing:
The food was horrible – shades of school dinners.
9. put somebody/something in the shade to be so good or impressive that other similar things or people seem much less important or interesting:
They’re planning a festival that will put all the others in the shade.
10. have it made in the shade American English informal to be extremely rich – used humorously
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ colour red, blue, yellow etc: Blue is my favourite colour. | Matisse was famous for his use of colour.
▪ shade a particular type of a colour: The dress is a light shade of pink. | He uses different shades of green.
▪ hue /hjuː/ literary or technical a particular colour or shade of a colour: Her face had lost its golden hue.
▪ tint a small amount of a colour in something that is mostly another colour: He wears sunglasses that have a pinky-orange tint.
▪ tone one of the many different shades of a colour, each slightly darker, lighter, brighter etc than the next: Carpets in neutral tones give a feeling of space.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
shade
shade [shade shades shaded shading] noun, verb [ʃeɪd] [ʃeɪd]
noun
OUT OF SUN
1. uncountable ~ (of sth) an area that is dark and cool under or behind sth, for example a tree or building, because the sun's light does not get to it
• We sat down in the shade of the wall.
• The temperature can reach 40°C in the shade.
• The trees provide shade for the animals in the summer.
• These plants grow well in sun or shade.
see also shady
ON LAMP, ETC.
2. countable a thing that you use to prevent light from coming through or to make it less bright
• I bought a new shade for the lamp.
• an eyeshade
see also lampshade, sunshade
ON WINDOW
3. countable (also ˈwindow shade) (both NAmE) = blind
OF COLOUR
4. countable ~ (of sth) a particular form of a colour, that is, how dark or light it is
• a delicate/pale/rich/soft shade of blue
• Cool pastel shades are just right for summer.
IN PICTURE
5. uncountable the dark areas in a picture, especially the use of these to produce variety
• The painting needs more light and shade.
OF OPINION/FEELING
6. countable, usually plural ~ of sth a different kind or level of opinion, feeling, etc
• politicians of all shades of opinion
• The word has many shades of meaning.
SLIGHTLY
7. a shade singular a little; slightly
Syn: touch
• He was feeling a shade disappointed.
• Her skirt was a shade too short.
FOR EYES
8. shades plural (informal) = sunglasses
GHOST
9. countable (literary) the spirit of a dead person; a ghost
Word Origin:
Old English sc(e)adu, of Germanic origin. Compare with shadow.
Thesaurus:
shade noun C
• a delicate shade of blue
tint • • tinge • |BrE colour • |AmE color • |literary technical hue •
a shade/tinge of blue/green, etc.
a warm/rich shade/tint/colour/hue
a bright/dark/pastel/subtle shade/colour/hue
have a shade/tint/tinge/colour/hue
Synonyms:
colour
shade • hue • tint • tinge
These words all describe the appearance of things, resulting from the way in which they reflect light.
colour/color • the appearance that things have, resulting from the way in which they reflect light. Red, green and blue are colours: ▪ What's your favourite colour? ◊ ▪ bright/dark/light colours
shade • a particular form of a colour, especially when describing how light or dark it is. Sky blue is a shade of blue.
hue • (literary or technical) a colour or a particular shade of a colour: ▪ His face took on an unhealthy, whitish hue.
tint • a shade or small amount of a particular colour; a faint colour covering a surface: ▪ leaves with red and gold autumn tints
tinge • a small amount of a colour: ▪ There was a pink tinge to the sky.
tint or tinge?
You can say: ▪ a reddish tint/tinge or: ▪ a tinge of red but not: a tint of red. Tint is often used in the plural, but tinge is almost always singular.
a warm/rich colour/shade/hue/tint
a bright/vivid/vibrant/dark/deep colour/shade/hue
a pale/pastel/soft/subtle/delicate colour/shade/hue
a light/strong/neutral/natural colour/shade
Which Word?:
shade / shadow
Shade [U] is an area or a part of a place that is protected from the heat of the sun and so is darker and cooler: ▪ Let’s sit in the shade for a while.
A shadow [C] is the dark shape made when a light shines on a person or an object: ▪ As the sun went down we cast long shadows on the lawn.
Shadow [U] is an area of darkness in which it is difficult to distinguish things easily: ▪ Her face was in deep shadow.
Example Bank:
• He threw out his old suits, all in various shades of brown.
• His face turned an even deeper shade of red.
• His room was dark, the shades pulled to block out the sun.
• I searched for a patch of shade to rest in.
• I was sitting in the shade.
• Let's move into the shade.
• The huge trees offered shade from the sun.
• The ocean glistened in shades of blue and emerald.
• The rooms were decorated in delicate pastel shades.
• They were sitting under the shade of an umbrella.
• This wool is available in 18 stunning shades.
• Towels in warm shades can soften the room.
• a plant that grows well in shade
• a room painted in startling shades of pink and orange
• a word with various shades of meaning
• giving shade for cattle
• in the leafy shade of a fig tree
• our new range of shades for lips and eyes
• reformers of all political shades
• the need to ensure adequate shade for coffee plants
• various shades of green
• Her eyes were a delicate shade of green.
• The painting needs more light and shade.
• The sun peered through the shades in the hotel room.
• The temperature can reach 40°C in the shade.
• Use different shades of the same colour, rather than lots of different colours.
• We sat down in the shade of the tree.
Idioms: put somebody in the shade ▪ shades of somebody
Derived: shade into something
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
shade / ʃeɪd / noun (SLIGHT DARKNESS)
B1 [ U ] slight darkness caused by something blocking the direct light from the sun:
The sun was hot, and there were no trees to offer us shade.
The children played in/under the shade of a large beach umbrella.
→ See also sunshade
C2 [ C ] a covering that is put over an electric light in order to make it less bright:
The lamps all had matching purple shades.
[ U ] ( also shading ) specialized the parts of a picture or painting that the artist has made slightly darker than the other parts:
A good artist can produce a very realistic effect using only light and shade.
shades [ plural ] informal dark glasses:
She was wearing a black leather jacket and shades.
[ C ] US for roller blind
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
shade
[ʃe͟ɪd]
shades, shading, shaded
1) N-COUNT: oft N of n, in N A shade of a particular colour is one of its different forms. For example, emerald green and olive green are shades of green.
In the mornings the sky appeared a heavy shade of mottled gray...
The walls were painted in two shades of green.
...new eyeshadows in a choice of 80 shades.
2) N-UNCOUNT: oft in the N Shade is an area of darkness under or next to an object such as a tree, where sunlight does not reach.
Temperatures in the shade can reach forty-eight degrees celsius at this time of year...
Alexis walked up the coast, and resumed his reading in the shade of an overhanging cliff.
...exotic trees provide welcome shade.
3) VERB If you say that a place or person is shaded by objects such as trees, you mean that the place or person cannot be reached, harmed, or bothered by strong sunlight because those objects are in the way.
[be V-ed] ...a health resort whose beaches are shaded by palm trees...
[be V-ed from n] Most plants prefer to be lightly shaded from direct, hot sunlight...
[V n] Umbrellas shade outdoor cafes along winding cobblestone streets.
Derived words:
shaded ADJ-GRADED oft adv ADJ These plants will grow happily in a sunny or partially shaded spot.
4) VERB If you shade your eyes, you put your hand or an object partly in front of your face in order to prevent a bright light from shining into your eyes.
[V n] You can't look directly into it; you've got to shade your eyes or close them altogether...
[V n from n] I had to stop at the traffic lights and put down the sun visor to shade my eyes from the light.
Syn:
shield
5) N-UNCOUNT Shade is darkness or shadows as they are shown in a picture.
...Rembrandt's skilful use of light and shade to create the atmosphere of movement.
Ant:
light
6) N-COUNT: usu pl, N of n The shades of something abstract are its many, slightly different forms.
...the capacity to convey subtle shades of meaning.
...literally dozens of newspapers of every shade of opinion.
7) VERB If something shades into something else, there is no clear division between the two things, so that you cannot tell where or when the first thing ends and the second thing begins.
[V into n] As the dusk shaded into night, we drove slowly through narrow alleys...
[V to n] The tail feathers are dark blue at their bases, shading to pale blue at their tips.
8) N-PLURAL Shades are sunglasses. [INFORMAL]
9) N-COUNT A shade is the same as a lampshade.
10) N-COUNT A shade is a piece of stiff cloth or heavy paper that you can pull down over a window as a covering. [AM]
Nancy left the shades down and the lights off.
Syn:
blind(in BRIT, use blind)
11) N-COUNT: usu N of n The shade of a dead person is their spirit, which is thought to be still alive in some way and in contact with the real world. [LITERARY]
His writing benefits from the shade of Lincoln hovering over his shoulder.
12) → See also shaded, shading
13) PHRASE: PHR adj/adv/prep If you say that something is, for example, a shade unusual or a shade disappointing, you mean that it is slightly unusual or disappointing.
The first two goals were a shade fortunate...
He found her charming, but perhaps just a shade too ingenuous for him...
The South is now only a shade behind the rest of the affluent United States.
Syn:
a little
14) PHRASE (approval) If you say that there is light and shade in something such as a performance, you mean you like it because different parts of it are different in tone or mood. [WRITTEN]
...a faltering, artless voice that is pleasant enough, if rather lacking in light and shade.
15) PHRASE: V inflects To put someone or something in the shade means to be so impressive that the person or thing seems unimportant by comparison.
...a run that put every other hurdler's performance in the shade.
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
1shade /ˈʃeɪd/ noun, pl shades
1 [noncount] : an area of slight darkness that is produced when something blocks the light of the sun
• The buildings cast shade on the plaza.
• The tree provided plenty of shade.
• These plants grow well in shade.
• It was a hot sunny day, but luckily their seats for the game were in the shade.
• We sat in the shade of a willow tree.
2 [count]
a : something that is used to block strong light
• He used his hand as a shade as he looked out into the bright sunlight.
• an eye shade
b : lampshade
• a lamp with a broken shade
c US : window shade
• She pulled down the shades.
3 shades [plural] informal : sunglasses
• She was wearing a cool pair of shades.
4 [noncount] : a darkened area in a drawing, painting, etc.
• a painting with contrasting areas of light and shade
5 [count] : a particular type of a color that is lighter, darker, etc., than other types - usually + of
• different shades of brown
• lipstick in several shades of red
• a bright shade of blue
6 [count] : a particular form of something that is usually slightly different from other forms
• The word has many shades of meaning.
7 [count] : a very small amount
• He saw shades [=traces] of himself in his son.
• He is just a shade [=a bit, a little] taller than his brother.
• The shirt is a shade too large for me.
draw the shades on
- see 1draw
have it made in the shade US informal : to have a very easy life or to be in a very good situation
• She had to work hard for many years to achieve success, but now she has it made in the shade.
put (someone or something) in the shade chiefly Brit informal : to be much better than (someone or something)
• Their performance really put ours in the shade.
shades of
- used to say what or who you are reminded of when you look at or think about someone or something
• a former actor who's now a politician—shades of Ronald Reagan
- shade·less adj
• Their yard is bare and shadeless.
