shade
relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,729 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 10,530 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body also: shadiness, shadowiness it is much cooler in the shadethere's too much shadiness to take good photographs
- a quality of a given color that differs slightly from another color also: tint, tincture, tone after several trials he mixed the shade of pink that she wanted
- protective covering that protects something from direct sunlight they used umbrellas as shadesas the sun moved he readjusted the shade
- a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude also: nuance, nicety, subtlety, refinement without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humordon't argue about shades of meaning
- a position of relative inferiority an achievement that puts everything else in the shadehis brother's success left him in the shade
- a slight amount or degree of difference also: tad a tad too expensivenot a tad of difference
shade in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Zeena herself, from an oppressive reality, had faded into an insubstantial shade.
Ethan Frome · Edith Wharton · Chapter 1
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Hollows thereof lay rich in shade By voyagers old inviolate thrown Ere Paul Pry cruised with Pelf and Trade.
John Marr and Other Poems · Herman Melville · Chapter 1
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She led the way round the house to where tea was spread under the shade of a large sycamore.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles · Agatha Christie · Chapter 1
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I have already found for him a new shade for dyeing silk, the cost price of which is almost nothing.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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Shade was getting well fast, and with troubled eyes Arch saw him sitting up in a chair and cleaning his Winchester.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1