noun, verb, shad⋅ed, shad⋅ing.| 1. | the comparative darkness caused by the interception or screening of rays of light from an object, place, or area. |
| 2. | a place or an area of comparative darkness, as one sheltered from the sun. |
| 3. | window shade. |
| 4. | a lampshade. |
| 5. | shades,
|
| 6. | Usually, shades. a secluded or obscure place: He was living in the shades. |
| 7. | comparative obscurity. |
| 8. | a specter or ghost. |
| 9. | Greek and Roman Religion. one of the spirits of the dead inhabiting Hades. |
| 10. | a shadow. |
| 11. | the degree of darkness of a color, determined by the quantity of black or by the lack of illumination. |
| 12. | comparative darkness, as the effect of shadow or dark and light, in pictorial representation; the dark part, or a dark part, of a picture or drawing. |
| 13. | a slight variation or degree: a shade of difference. |
| 14. | a little bit; touch, esp. of something that may change the color of or lighten or darken something else: coffee with a shade of cream. |
| 15. | anything used for protection against excessive light, heat, etc. |
| 16. | (in architectural shades and shadows) a shadow upon those parts of a solid that are tangent to or turned away from the parallel rays from the theoretical light source. Compare shadow (def. 11). |
| 17. | the shades, Hades, as the abode of the spirits of the dead. |
| 18. | to produce shade in or on. |
| 19. | to obscure, dim, or darken. |
| 20. | to screen or hide from view. |
| 21. | to protect (something) from light, heat, etc., by or as by a screen: to shade the eyes from a bright light. |
| 22. | to cover or screen (a candle, light, etc.): to shade a light to protect the eyes. |
| 23. | Fine Arts.
|
| 24. | to change by imperceptible degrees into something else. |
| 25. | to reduce (the price) by way of a concession. |
| 26. | to pass or change by slight graduations, as one color, quality, or thing into another. |
| 27. | Agriculture. shade up, to take shelter (as livestock) from the sun. |
| 28. | cast or put someone in or into the shade, to make another person's efforts seem insignificant by comparison; surpass: Her playing puts mine in the shade. |
