shade (shades plural & 3rd person present) (shading present participle) (shaded past tense & past participle )
1 n-count A shade of a particular colour is one of its different forms. For example, emerald green and olive green are shades of green.
oft N of n, in N
The walls were painted in two shades of green., ...new eyeshadows in a choice of 80 shades.
2 n-uncount Shade is an area of darkness under or next to an object such as a tree, where sunlight does not reach.
oft in the N
Temperatures in the shade can reach forty-eight degrees celsius at this time of year..., ...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.
...a health resort whose beaches are shaded by palm trees... be V-ed
Umbrellas shade outdoor cafes along winding cobblestone streets. V n
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.
(=shield)
You can't look directly into it; you've got to shade your eyes or close them altogether... V n
5 n-uncount Shade is darkness or shadows as they are shown in a picture., (Antonym: light)
...Rembrandt's skilful use of light and shade to create the atmosphere of movement.
6 n-count The shades of something abstract are its many, slightly different forms.
usu pl, N of n
...the capacity to convey subtle shades of meaning.
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.
As the dusk shaded into night, we drove slowly through narrow alleys... V into n
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)
(=blind)
Nancy left the shades down and the lights off.
in BRIT, use blind
12 To put someone or something in the shade means to be so impressive that the person or thing seems unimportant by comparison.
♦
put someone/something in the shade phrase V inflects
...a run that put every other hurdler's performance in the shade.