- n. An area that is not or is only partially irradiated or illuminated because of the interception of radiation by an opaque object between the area and the source of radiation.
- n. The rough image cast by an object blocking rays of illumination. See Synonyms at shade.
- n. An imperfect imitation or copy.
- n. The darkness following sunset.
- n. A feeling or cause of gloom or unhappiness: The argument cast a shadow on their friendship.
- n. A nearby or adjoining region; vicinity: grew up in the shadow of the ballpark.
- n. A dominating presence or influence: spent years working in the shadow of the lab director.
- n. A darkened area of skin under the eye. Often used in the plural.
- n. An incipient growth of beard that makes the skin look darker.
- n. A shaded area in a picture or photograph.
- n. A mirrored image or reflection.
- n. A phantom; a ghost.
- n. One, such as a detective or spy, that follows or trails another.
- n. A constant companion.
- n. Sports A player who guards an opponent closely.
- n. A faint indication; a foreshadowing.
- n. A vestige or inferior form: shadows of their past achievements.
- n. An insignificant portion or amount; a trace: beyond a shadow of a doubt.
- n. Shelter; protection: under the shadow of their corporate sponsor.
- transitive v. To cast a shadow on; shade.
- transitive v. To make gloomy or dark; cloud.
- transitive v. To represent vaguely, mysteriously, or prophetically.
- transitive v. To darken in a painting or drawing; shade in.
- transitive v. To follow, especially in secret; trail.
- transitive v. Sports To guard (an opponent) closely throughout the playing area, especially in ice hockey.
- intransitive v. To change by gradual degrees.
- intransitive v. To become clouded over as if with shadows: Her face shadowed with sorrow.
- adj. Not having official status: a shadow government of exiled leaders; a shadow cabinet.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A dark image projected onto a surface where light is blocked by the shade of an object.
- n. Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom, obscurity.
- n. That which looms as though a shadow.
- n. Merely a hint of substance.
- n. One who secretly or furtively follows another.
- n. A type of lettering form of word processors that makes a cubic effect.
- n. An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one.
- v. To block light or radio transmission.
- v. To secretly or discreetly track or follow another, to keep under surveillance.
- v. To make an identifier, usually a variable, inaccessible by declaring another of the same name within the scope of the first.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. Shade within defined limits; obscurity or deprivation of light, apparent on a surface, and representing the form of the body which intercepts the rays of light. See the Note under shade, n., 1.
- n. Darkness; shade; obscurity.
- n. A shaded place; shelter; protection; security.
- n. A reflected image, as in a mirror or in water.
- n. That which follows or attends a person or thing like a shadow; an inseparable companion; hence, an obsequious follower.
- n. A spirit; a ghost; a shade; a phantom.
- n. An imperfect and faint representation; adumbration; indistinct image; dim bodying forth; hence, mystical representation; type.
- n. A small degree; a shade.
- n. An uninvited guest coming with one who is invited.
- transitive v. To cut off light from; to put in shade; to shade; to throw a shadow upon; to overspead with obscurity.
- transitive v. To conceal; to hide; to screen.
- transitive v. To protect; to shelter from danger; to shroud.
- transitive v. To mark with gradations of light or color; to shade.
- transitive v. To represent faintly or imperfectly; to adumbrate; hence, to represent typically.
- transitive v. To cloud; to darken; to cast a gloom over.
- transitive v. To attend as closely as a shadow; to follow and watch closely, especially in a secret or unobserved manner.
- n. plural Same as shade, 3.
- n. Shade within defined limits; the dark figure or image projected by a body when it intercepts the light.
- n. Anything which, follows or attends a person or thing like a shadow; an inseparable companion.
- n. An uninvited guest introduced to a feast by one who is invited: a translation of the Latin umbra.
- n. A reflected image, as in it mirror or in water; hence, any image or portrait.
- n. The dark part of a picture; shade; representation of comparative deficiency or absence of light.
- n. Type; mystical representation. Compare eidolon and paradigm.
- n. An imperfect and faint representation; adumbration; a prefiguration; a foreshowing; a dim bodying forth.
- n. The faintest trace; a slight or faint appearance: as, without a shadow of doubt.
- n. Disguise; pretext; subterfuge.
- n. Anything unsubstantial or unreal, though having the deceptive appearance of reality; an image produced by the imagination.
- n. A phantom; a shade; a spirit; a ghost.
- n. A shaded or shady spot or place; an obscure, secluded, or quiet retreat.
- n. Shade; retirement; privacy; quiet; rest.
- n. Shelter; cover; protection; security.
- n. That which shades, shelters, or protects, as from light or heat; specifically, a sunshade, a parasol, or a wide-brimmed hat for women.
- n. A light four-cornered sail used by yachts in fair winds.
- n. In entomology, a very slight and undefined darker color on a light ground, as on the wings of Lepidoptera
- n. Synonyms See shade.
- To cover or overspread with shade; throw into shade; cast a shadow over; shade.
- To darken; cloud; obscure; bedim; tarnish.
- To mark with or represent by shading; mark with slight gradations of color or light; shade; darken slightly.
- To represent in a shadowy or figurative way; hence, to betoken; typify; foreshow: sometimes with forth or out.
- To shelter; screen; hide; conceal; disguise.
- To attend closely, like a shadow; follow about closely in a secret or unobserved manner: watch secretly and continuously: as, to shadow a criminal.
- n. In algebra, an umbral letter or symbol having no meaning apart from another sort of letter or symbol to which it assigns a property, and therefore not to be written alone.
- n. Same as shadow corpuscle. See phantom corpuscle.
There's a huge overhang of what we call shadow inventory, which are homes that are either owned by the banks and not put on the market or that speculators and investors had purchased and they're not defaulting on them yet, they're still carrying.
One definition of a shadow is a region where light is blocked.