shadow

[ shad-oh ]

/ ˈʃæd oʊ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shadow ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light.

shade or comparative darkness, as in an area.

shadows, darkness, especially that coming after sunset.

shelter; protection: sanctuary in the shadow of the church.

a slight suggestion; trace: beyond the shadow of a doubt.

a specter or ghost: pursued by shadows.

a hint or faint, indistinct image or idea; intimation: shadows of things to come.

a mere semblance: the shadow of power.

a reflected image.

(in painting, drawing, graphics, etc.)

the representation of the absence of light on a form.
the dark part of a picture, especially as representing the absence of illumination: Rembrandt's figures often emerge gradually from the shadows.

(in architectural shades and shadows) a dark figure or image cast by an object or part of an object upon a surface that would otherwise be illuminated by the theoretical light source. Compare shade(def 16).

a period or instance of gloom, unhappiness, mistrust, doubt, dissension, or the like, as in friendship or one's life: Their relationship was not without shadows.

a dominant or pervasive threat, influence, or atmosphere, especially one causing gloom, fear, doubt, or the like: They lived under the shadow of war.

an inseparable companion: The dog was his shadow.

a person who follows another in order to keep watch upon that person, as a spy or detective.

verb (used with object)

to overspread with shadow; shade.

to cast a gloom over; cloud: The incident shadowed their meeting.

to screen or protect from light, heat, etc.; shade.

to follow (a person) about secretly, in order to keep watch over his movements.

to represent faintly, prophetically, etc. (often followed by forth).

Archaic. to shelter or protect.

Archaic. to shade in painting, drawing, etc.

adjective

of or relating to a shadow cabinet.

without official authority: a shadow government.

Origin of shadow

before 900; (noun) Middle English sch(e)adew(e), schadow, shadw(e), Old English scead(u)we, oblique case of sceadu shade; (v.) Middle English; Old English sceadwian to protect, cover, overshadow, derivative of the noun; compare Old Saxon skadowan, skadoian, Gothic -skadwjan

synonym study for shadow

1. See shade.

OTHER WORDS FROM shadow

shad·ow·er, noun shad·ow·less, adjective shad·ow·like, adjective pre·shad·ow, noun, verb (used with object)

Words nearby shadow

shades of, shadfly, shading, shadkhan, shadoof, shadow, shadow bands, shadow box, shadow cabinet, shadow dance, shadow history

Example sentences from the Web for shadow

Brinsley came from behind a police cruiser parked on a busy street in the shadow of the Tompkins Public Houses.

Alleged Cop Killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley Had a Death Wish |M.L. Nestel |December 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
If we begin to see the other as our possession and commodity, our shoe, the shadow of our shadow, is there ever a happy outcome?

Owning Up to Possession’s Downside |Samantha Harvey |December 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They seem to belong to us, and then they freely go—behavior very uncharacteristic of a shadow or a shoe.

Owning Up to Possession’s Downside |Samantha Harvey |December 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Hitchcock saw the work of, and probably met, Murnau, the great German filmmaker--the earliest master of bleak light and shadow.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days |David Freeman |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Krampus makes manifest the shadow sides of human nature that Christianity seeks to repress.

Meet Krampus, the Seriously Bad Santa |Jay Michaelson |December 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Alone the thick polled alders remain green, and in their shadow the brook is still darker.

Nature Near London |Richard Jefferies
Margaret saw his shadow as it lingered, but she continued her employment.

Love After Marriage; and Other Stories of the Heart |Caroline Lee Hentz
The germ and shadow and likelihood of each of those acts is in the fashion and line and detail of her garments.

I, Mary MacLane |Mary MacLane
He had created a new property, as was testified by the vast pyramid of ivory that stood under the shadow of the great nwana-tree!

The Bush Boys |Captain Mayne Reid
It is easy, says the king, alarmed, for the shadow to go down ten steps.

The Book of Isaiah, Volume I (of 2) |George Adam Smith

British Dictionary definitions for shadow

shadow

/ (ˈʃædəʊ) /

noun

a dark image or shape cast on a surface by the interception of light rays by an opaque body

an area of relative darkness

the dark portions of a picture

a hint, image, or faint semblance beyond a shadow of a doubt

a remnant or vestige a shadow of one's past self

a reflection

a threatening influence; blight a shadow over one's happiness

a spectre

an inseparable companion

a person who trails another in secret, such as a detective

med a dark area on an X-ray film representing an opaque structure or part

(in Jungian psychology) the archetype that represents man's animal ancestors

archaic, or rare protection or shelter

(modifier) British designating a member or members of the main opposition party in Parliament who would hold ministerial office if their party were in power shadow Chancellor; shadow cabinet

verb (tr)

to cast a shadow over

to make dark or gloomy; blight

to shade from light

to follow or trail secretly

(often foll by forth) to represent vaguely

painting drawing another word for shade (def. 13)

Derived forms of shadow

shadower, noun shadowless, adjective

Word Origin for shadow

Old English sceadwe, oblique case of sceadu shade; related to Dutch schaduw

Idioms and Phrases with shadow

shadow

In addition to the idiom beginning with shadow

shadow of one's self

also see:

afraid of one's own shadow
beyond a (shadow of a) doubt

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

shadow

noun

verb (used with object)

adjective

Origin of shadow

synonym study for shadow

OTHER WORDS FROM shadow

Words nearby shadow

Example sentences from the Web for shadow

British Dictionary definitions for shadow

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of shadow

Word Origin for shadow

Idioms and Phrases with shadow

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

shadow

noun

verb (used with object)

adjective

Origin of shadow

synonym study for shadow

OTHER WORDS FROM shadow

Words nearby shadow

Words related to shadow

Example sentences from the Web for shadow

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for shadow

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of shadow

Word Origin for shadow

Idioms and Phrases with shadow

British Dictionary definitions for shadow