Definitions for shadow
ˈʃæd oʊshad·ow

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

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"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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.

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

2. shadownoun

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

   I immediately jumped into shadow as I saw them approach.

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

3. shadownoun

   That which looms as though a shadow.

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

4. shadownoun

   Merely a hint of substance.

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

5. shadownoun

   One who secretly or furtively follows another.

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

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

6. shadownoun

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

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

7. shadownoun

   An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one.

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

8. shadowverb

   To block light or radio transmission.

   Looks like that cloud's going to shadow us.

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

9. shadowverb

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

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

10. shadowverb

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

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

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

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

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

2. Shadownoun

   darkness; shade; obscurity

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

3. Shadownoun

   a shaded place; shelter; protection; security

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

4. Shadownoun

   a reflected image, as in a mirror or in water

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

5. Shadownoun

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

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

6. Shadownoun

   a spirit; a ghost; a shade; a phantom

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

7. Shadownoun

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

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

8. Shadownoun

   a small degree; a shade

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

9. Shadownoun

   an uninvited guest coming with one who is invited

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

10. Shadownoun

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

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

11. Shadownoun

    to conceal; to hide; to screen

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

12. Shadownoun

    to protect; to shelter from danger; to shroud

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

13. Shadownoun

    to mark with gradations of light or color; to shade

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

14. Shadownoun

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

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

15. Shadownoun

    to cloud; to darken; to cast a gloom over

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

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

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

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

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 Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. shadow

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

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. Zen Proverb:

   Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it's dark.

2. Joy Villa:

   There's a lot of shadow banning, censorship and over saturated' fact checking' to the detriment of being able to freely post anything, even on the President of the United States, i love that Parler is transparent with who views my posts, and that they promote and actually support free speech and free thought.

3. Christine Lagarde:

   The authorities and the supervisors constantly have to remain vigilant particularly when there are those new and innovative products...those risks have to be under the watch of the supervisors, be they in traditional banking, be they in these disruptive banking systems or in these shadow banking systems.

4. Andrew Schneider:

   Well, you're either lovers or you're wanting to be lovers or you're trying not to be lovers so you can be friends, but any way you look at it, sex is always looming in the picture like a shadow, like an undertow.

5. Warren Zevon:

   We made mad love Shadow love Random love And abandoned love Accidentally like a martyr The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

Popularity rank by frequency of use