shade meaning and definition

SHADE noun

Definition of shade (noun)

1. relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
   • "it is much cooler in the shade"; "there's too much shadiness to take good photographs"
   • synonyms: shadiness, shadowiness
2. a quality of a given color that differs slightly from another color
   • "after several trials he mixed the shade of pink that she wanted"
   • synonyms: tincture, tint, tone
3. protective covering that protects something from direct sunlight
   • "they used umbrellas as shades"; "as the sun moved he readjusted the shade"
4. a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
   • "without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humor"; "don't argue about shades of meaning"
   • synonyms: nicety, nuance, refinement, subtlety
5. a position of relative inferiority
   • "an achievement that puts everything else in the shade"; "his brother's success left him in the shade"
6. a slight amount or degree of difference
   • "a tad too expensive"; "not a tad of difference"; "the new model is a shade better than the old one"
   • synonyms: tad
7. a mental representation of some haunting experience
   • "he looked like he had seen a ghost"; "it aroused specters from his past"
   • synonyms: ghost, specter, spectre, spook, wraith
8. a representation of the effect of shadows in a picture or drawing (as by shading or darker pigment)

SHADE verb

Definition of shade (verb)

1. cast a shadow over
   • synonyms: shade off, shadow
2. represent the effect of shade or shadow on
   • synonyms: fill in
3. protect from light, heat, or view
   • "Shade your eyes when you step out into the bright sunlight"
4. vary slightly
   • "shade the meaning"
5. pass from one quality such as color to another by a slight degree
   • "the butterfly wings shade to yellow"