1. Relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
   "it is much cooler in the shade";
   - shadiness, shadowiness
    
2. Protective covering that protects something from direct sunlight
   "they used umbrellas as shades"; "as the sun moved he readjusted the shade"
    
3. A protective ornamental covering for a lamp, used to screen a light bulb from direct view
   "She chose a colourful stained glass lamp shade to complement the room's decor";
   - lampshade, lamp shade
    
4. A quality of a given colour that differs slightly from another colour
   "after several trials he mixed the shade of pink that she wanted";
   - tint, tincture, tone
    
5. A subtle difference in meaning, opinion or attitude
   "don't argue about shades of meaning";
   - nuance, nicety, subtlety, refinement
    
6. A slight amount or degree of difference
   "the new model is a shade better than the old one";
   - tad [informal]
    
7. A position of relative inferiority
   "an achievement that puts everything else in the shade"; "his brother's success left him in the shade"
    
8. A mental representation of some haunting experience
   "he looked like he had seen a shade";
   - ghost, spook, wraith, specter [US], spectre [Brit, Cdn]
    
9. A representation of the effect of shadows in a picture or drawing (as by shading or darker pigment)
   "The artist used subtle shades to create depth in the portrait"
    
10. [informal] Subtle or indirect criticism or disrespect, often in a social context
    "She threw shade at her ex during the interview."

1. Cast a shadow over
   "The tall trees shaded the garden path";
   - shadow
    
2. Protect from light, heat, or view
   "Shade your eyes when you step out into the bright sunlight"
    
3. Represent the effect of shade or shadow on
   "The artist shaded the portrait to add depth";
   - fill in
    
4. Pass from one quality such as colour to another by a slight degree
   "the butterfly wings shade to yellow"
    
5. Vary slightly
   "shade the meaning"

Derived forms: shaded, shading, shades

See also: fill

Type of: alter, apparition, block out, change, color [US], coloring [US], colour [Brit, Cdn], colouring [Brit, Cdn], darken, draw, fantasm, import, inferiority, lower rank, lower status, meaning, modify, paint, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, protection, protective cover, protective covering, representation, screen, semidarkness, shadow, significance, signification, small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity

Part of: lamp

Encyclopedia: Shade, the Changing Man