Definitions for shadow
ˈʃæd oʊshad·ow

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. shadownoun

   shade within clear boundaries

2. darkness, dark, shadownoun

   an unilluminated area

   "he moved off into the darkness"

3. apparition, phantom, phantasm, phantasma, fantasm, shadownoun

   something existing in perception only

   "a ghostly apparition at midnight"

4. shadownoun

   a premonition of something adverse

   "a shadow over his happiness"

5. trace, vestige, tincture, shadownoun

   an indication that something has been present

   "there wasn't a trace of evidence for the claim"; "a tincture of condescension"

6. shadownoun

   refuge from danger or observation

   "he felt secure in his father's shadow"

7. shadownoun

   a dominating and pervasive presence

   "he received little recognition working in the shadow of his father"

8. tail, shadow, shadowernoun

   a spy employed to follow someone and report their movements

9. shadowverb

   an inseparable companion

   "the poor child was his mother's shadow"

10. shadowverb

    follow, usually without the person's knowledge

    "The police are shadowing her"

11. shadow, shade, shade offverb

    cast a shadow over

12. shadow, overshadow, dwarfverb

    make appear small by comparison

    "This year's debt dwarfs that of last year"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. shadownoun

   A dark image projected onto a surface where light is blocked by the shade of an object.

   My shadow lengthened as the sun began to set.

2. shadownoun

   Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom, obscurity.

   I immediately jumped into shadow as I saw them approach.

3. shadownoun

   That which looms as though a shadow.

4. shadownoun

   Merely a hint of substance.

5. shadownoun

   One who secretly or furtively follows another.

   The constable was promoted to working as a shadow for the Royals.

6. shadownoun

   A type of lettering form of word processors that makes a cubic effect.

7. shadownoun

   An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one.

8. shadowverb

   To block light or radio transmission.

   Looks like that cloud's going to shadow us.

9. shadowverb

   To secretly or discreetly track or follow another, to keep under surveillance.

10. shadowverb

    To make an identifier, usually a variable, inaccessible by declaring another of the same name within the scope of the first.

11. Etymology: sceaduwe, inflected form of sceadu (> English shade).

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Shadownoun

   Etymology: scadu , Saxon; schaduwe, Dutch.

   1. The representation of a body by which the light is intercepted.

   Poor Tom! proud of heart, to ride over four inch’d bridges, to course his own shadow for a traitor. William Shakespeare.

   Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
   That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
   And then is heard no more. William Shakespeare.

   Such a nature,
   Tickl’d with good success, disdains the shadow
   Which he treads on at noon. William Shakespeare.

   The body, tho’ it moves, yet not changing perceivable distance with some other bodies, the thing seems to stand still, as in the hands of clocks, and shadows of sun-dials. John Locke.

   2. Opacity; darkness; shade.

   By the revolution of the skies
   Night’s sable shadows from the ocean rise. John Denham.

   His countrymen probably lived within the shake of the earthquake and shadow of the eclipse. Addison.

   3. Shelter made by any thing that intercepts the light, heat, or influence of the air.

   In secret shadow from the sunny ray,
   On a sweet bed of lillies softly laid. Fa. Queen.

   Here father, take the shadow of this tree
   For your good host. William Shakespeare, K. Lear.

   4. Obscure place.

   To the secret shadows I retire,
   To pay my penance till my years expire. Dryd.

   5. Dark part of a picture.

   A shadow is a diminution of the first and second light. The first light is that which proceeds immediately from a lightned body, as the beams of the sun. The second is an accidental light spreading itself into the air or medium proceeding from the other. Shadows are threefold: the first is a single shadow, and the least of all; and is proper to the plain surface where it is not wholly possessed of the light. The second is the double shadow, and it is used when the surface begins once to forsake your eye, as in columns. The third shadow is made by crossing over your double shadow again, which darkneth by a third part. It is used for the inmost shadow, and farthest from the light, as in gulfs, wells, and caves. Henry Peacham.

   After great lights there must be great shadows. Dryden.

   6. Any thing perceptible only to the sight; a ghost; a spirit, or shade.

   Hence, terrible shadow!
   Unreal mock’ry, hence! William Shakespeare.

   7. An imperfect and faint representation: opposed to substance.

   If substance might be call’d that shadow seem’d. John Milton.

   In the glorious lights of heaven we perceive a shadow of his divine countenance. Walter Raleigh.

   Without the least impulse or shadow of fate. John Milton.

   Amongst the creatures are particular excellencies scattered, which are some shadows of the divine perfections. John Tillotson.

   8. Inseparable companion.

   Sin and her shadow, death. John Milton.

   Thou my shadow
   Inseparable must with me be long John Milton.

   9. Type; mystical representation.

   Types and shadows of that destin’d seed. John Milton.

   10. Protection; shelter; favour.

   Keep me under the shadow of thy wings. Psalms.

2. To Shadowverb

   Etymology: from the noun.

   1. To cover with opacity.

   The warlike elf much wondered at this tree,
   So fair and great, that shadowed all the ground. Fa. Q.

   The Assyrian was a cedar with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud. Ezek. xxxi. 3.

   2. To cloud; to darken.

   Mislike me not for my complexion;
   The shadow’d livery of the burning sun
   To whom I am a neighbour. William Shakespeare.

   3. To make cool or gently gloomy by interception of the light or heat.

   A gentle south-west wind comes creeping over flowery fields and shadow’d waters in the extreme heat of summer. Philip Sidney.

   4. To conceal under cover; to hide; to screen.

   Let every soldier hew him down a bough,
   And bear’t before him; thereby shall we shadow
   The number of our host, and make discov’ry
   Err in report of us. William Shakespeare.

   5. To protect; to screen from danger; to shroud.

   God shall forgive you Cœur de Lion’s death,
   The rather, that you give his offspring life,
   Shad wing their right under your wings of war. William Shakespeare.

   6. To mark with various gradations of colour, or light.

   Turnsoil is made of old linnen rags dried, and laid in a saucer of vinegar, and set over a chafing dish of coals till it boil; then wring it into a shell, and put it into a little gum arabick: it is good to shadow carnations, and all yellows. Henry Peacham.

   From a round globe of any uniform colour, the idea imprinted in our minds is of a flat circle, variously shadowed with different degrees of light coming to our eyes. John Locke.

   More broken scene, made up of an infinite variety of inequalities and shadowings, that naturally arise from an agreeable mixture of hills, groves, and vallies. Addis.

   7. To paint in obscure colours.

   If the parts be too much distant, so that there be void spaces which are deeply shadowed, then place in those voids some fold to make a joining of the parts. John Dryden, Dufresnoy.

   8. To represent imperfectly.

   Whereat I wak’d and found
   Before mine eyes all real, as the dream
   Had lively shadow’d. John Milton, Parad. Lost.

   Augustus is shadowed in the person of Æneas. Dryd.

   I have shadowed some part of your virtues under another name. Dryd.

   9. To represent typically.

   Many times there are three things said to make up the substance of a sacrament; namely, the grace which is thereby offered, the element which shadoweth or signifieth grace, and the word which expresseth what is done by the element. Hook.

   The shield being to defend the body from weapons, aptly shadows out to us the continence of the emperor, which made him proof to all the attacks of pleasure. Addison.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Shadow

   A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or a reverse projection of the object blocking the light.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. shadow

   A shadow is an area where a form or object blocks light, resulting in a region of darkness or reduced light intensity behind the obstructing object. It is the absence of light or the partial absence of light caused by an obstruction. Shadows are formed when light rays are blocked by an opaque or partially opaque object, creating a silhouette or dark patch on a surface.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Shadownoun

   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; as, the shadow of a man, of a tree, or of a tower. See the Note under Shade, n., 1

2. Shadownoun

   darkness; shade; obscurity

3. Shadownoun

   a shaded place; shelter; protection; security

4. Shadownoun

   a reflected image, as in a mirror or in water

5. Shadownoun

   that which follows or attends a person or thing like a shadow; an inseparable companion; hence, an obsequious follower

6. Shadownoun

   a spirit; a ghost; a shade; a phantom

7. Shadownoun

   an imperfect and faint representation; adumbration; indistinct image; dim bodying forth; hence, mystical representation; type

8. Shadownoun

   a small degree; a shade

9. Shadownoun

   an uninvited guest coming with one who is invited

10. Shadownoun

    to cut off light from; to put in shade; to shade; to throw a shadow upon; to overspead with obscurity

11. Shadownoun

    to conceal; to hide; to screen

12. Shadownoun

    to protect; to shelter from danger; to shroud

13. Shadownoun

    to mark with gradations of light or color; to shade

14. Shadownoun

    to represent faintly or imperfectly; to adumbrate; hence, to represent typically

15. Shadownoun

    to cloud; to darken; to cast a gloom over

16. Shadownoun

    to attend as closely as a shadow; to follow and watch closely, especially in a secret or unobserved manner; as, a detective shadows a criminal

17. Etymology: [Originally the same word as shade. 162. See Shade.]

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Shadow

   A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or reverse projection of the object blocking the light. The sun causes many objects to have shadows and at certain times of the day, when the sun is at certain heights, the lengths of shadows change. An astronomical object casts human-visible shadows when its apparent magnitude is equal or lower than −4. Currently the only astronomical objects able to produce visible shadows on Earth are the sun, the moon and, in the right conditions, Venus or Jupiter.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 1 vote

1. Shadow

   shad′ō, n. shade caused by an object: darkness: shelter: security: favour: the dark part of a picture: an inseparable companion: a mystical representation: faint appearance: a ghost, spirit: something only in appearance.—v.t to shade: to cloud or darken: to shade, as a painting: to represent faintly: to hide, conceal: (coll.) to attend like a shadow, watch continuously and carefully.—ns. Shad′ow-fig′ure, a silhouette; Shad′owiness, the state of being shadowy or unsubstantial; Shad′owing, shading: gradation of light and colour.—adj. Shad′owless.—n. Shad′ow-stitch, in lace-making, a very delicate kind of ladder-stitch used in fine open-work.—adj. Shad′owy, full of shadow: dark: obscure: typical: unsubstantial: (rare) indulging in fancies.—Shadow of death, approach of death: terrible disaster. [A.S. sceadu; cog. with Old High Ger. scato, and perh. Gr. skotos, darkness, skia, shadow.]

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. shadow

   Song lyrics by shadow -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by shadow on the Lyrics.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. SHADOW

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Shadow is ranked #65964 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
   
   The Shadow surname appeared 300 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Shadow.
   
   87.6% or 263 total occurrences were White.
   6% or 18 total occurrences were Black.
   3.3% or 10 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
   2.3% or 7 total occurrences were of two or more races.

Matched Categories

1. • Follow
   • Follower
   • Foreboding
   • Indication
   • Presence
   • Recourse
   • Scene
   • Shade
   • Spy

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'shadow' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3274

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'shadow' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4458

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'shadow' in Nouns Frequency: #1009

How to pronounce shadow?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say shadow in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of shadow in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of shadow in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of shadow in a Sentence

1. Game of Thrones, Season 6:

   Lord Varys: Power resides where men believe it resides. It’s a trick, a shadow on the wall. And a very small man can cast a very large shadow.

2. Abraham Lincoln:

   Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

3. Clifford Villalon:

   Behind every reflection is a shadow. But behind any shadow, there is no reflection.

4. Nelson Shanks:

   If you look at the left-hand side of it there's a mantle in the Oval Office and I put a shadow coming into the painting and it does two things, it actually literally represents a shadow from a blue dress that I had on a mannequin, that I had there while I was painting it, but not when he was there. It is also a bit of a metaphor in that it represents a shadow on the office he held, or on him.

5. Victoria Elena Vasquez:

   The term is called counter elimination, the way you can picture it is if you were on a boat and you looked down and you saw a silhouette of something. You didn’t know what it was but you saw a shadow in the water. The idea here is that these sharks are trying to glow just enough to eliminate that shadow.

Popularity rank by frequency of use