Meaning and Origin
What does the name Shade mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.
Origin and Meaning of Shade
User Submitted Origins
African
41%
Nigerian
32%
American
27%
User Submitted Meanings
- According to a user from California, U.S., the name Shade is of African origin and means "This name will refer to ''shadows or black mind'".
- A submission from Georgia, U.S. says the name Shade means "Princess" and is of Hebrew origin.
- According to a user from South Africa, the name Shade is of Scottish origin and means "Gift from god,sweet,powerful & loving".
International Interest
Also see international interest
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
noun Shade
Senses
- Comparative obscurity owing to interception or interruption of the rays of light; partial darkness caused by the intervention of something between the space contemplated and the source of light.
- Darkness; obscurity; -- often in the plural."The shades of night were falling fast." [Longfellow.]
- An obscure place; a spot not exposed to light; hence, a secluded retreat."Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there Weep our sad bosoms empty." [Shak.]
- That which intercepts, or shelters from, light or the direct rays of the sun; hence, also, that which protects from heat or currents of air; a screen; protection; shelter; cover; as, a lamp shade ."The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand." [Ps. cxxi. 5.]"Sleep under a fresh tree's shade." [Shak.]"Let the arched knife well sharpened now assail the spreading shades of vegetables." [J. Philips.]
- Shadow.(Poetic)"Envy will merit, as its shade, pursue." [Pope.]
- The soul after its separation from the body; -- so called because the ancients it to be perceptible to the sight, though not to the touch; a spirit; a ghost; as, the shades of departed heroes."Swift as thought the flitting shade Thro' air his momentary journey made." [Dryden.]
- [Painting, Drawing, etc] The darker portion of a picture; a less illuminated part. See Def. 1, above.
- Degree or variation of color, as darker or lighter, stronger or paler; as, a delicate shade of pink."White, red, yellow, blue, with their several degrees, or shades and mixtures, as green only in by the eyes." [Locke.]
- A minute difference or variation, as of thought, belief, expression, etc.; also, the quality or degree of anything which is distinguished from others similar by slight differences; as, the shades of meaning in synonyms."New shades and combinations of thought." [De Quincey.]"Every shade of religious and political opinion has its own headquarters." [Macaulay.]
Note: ☞ Shade differs from shadow as it implies no particular form or definite limit; whereas a shadow represents in form the object which intercepts the light. When we speak of the shade of a tree, we have no reference to its form; but when we speak of measuring a pyramid or other object by its shadow, we have reference to its form and extent.
Etymology: OE. shade shadewe schadewe, AS. sceadu scead; akin to OS. skado, D. schaduw, OHG. scato, (gen. scatewes), G. schatten, Goth. skadus, Ir. & Gael. sgath, and probably to Gr. sko`tos darkness. √162. Cf. Shadow Shed a hat
verb Shade
Senses
- To shelter or screen by intercepting the rays of light; to keep off illumination from."I went to crop the sylvan scenes, And shade our altars with their leafy greens." [Dryden.]
- To shelter; to cover from injury; to protect; to screen; to hide; as, to shade one's eyes."Ere in our own house I do shade my head." [Shak.]
- To obscure; to dim the brightness of."Thou shad'st The full blaze of thy beams." [Milton.]
- To pain in obscure colors; to darken.
- To mark with gradations of light or color.
- To present a shadow or image of; to shadow forth; to represent.(Obs)"The goddess] in her person cunningly did shade That part of Justice which is Equity." [Spenser.]
verb Shade
To undergo or exhibit minute difference or variation, as of color, meaning, expression, etc.; to pass by slight changes; -- used chiefly with a preposition, as into away off.
Etymology: See Shade (n.)
Other Dictionary Sources
- A protective ornamental covering for a lamp, used to screen a light bulb from direct view
- Protective covering that protects something from direct sunlight ("they used umbrellas as shades" and "as the sun moved he readjusted the shade")
- A representation of the effect of shadows in a picture or drawing (as by shading or darker pigment)
- A quality of a given color that differs slightly from another color ("after several trials he mixed the shade of pink that she wanted")
- A mental representation of some haunting experience
- A subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude ("don't argue about shades of meaning")
- A slight amount or degree of difference ("the new model is a shade better than the old one")
- A position of relative inferiority ("an achievement that puts everything else in the shade" and "his brother's success left him in the shade")
- Relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body ("it is much cooler in the shade")
- Pass from one quality such as color to another by a slight degree ("the butterfly wings shade to yellow")
- Vary slightly ("shade the meaning")
- Protect from light, heat, or view ("Shade your eyes when you step out into the bright sunlight")
- Represent the effect of shade or shadow on
- Cast a shadow over
Wiktionary
From Middle English schade, from Old English sċeadu, sċadu (“shadow; shade”), from Proto-Germanic *skadwaz (“shadow; shade”). More at shadow.
- (uncountable) Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.
- The old oak tree gave in the heat of the day.
- (countable) Something that blocks light, particularly in a window.
- Close the , please: it's too bright in here.
- (countable) A variety of a colour/color, in particular one obtained by adding black (compare tint).
- I've painted my room in five lovely of pink and chartreuse.
- (figuratively) A subtle variation in a concept.
- of meaning
- (figuratively) An aspect that is reminiscent of something.
- of Groucho
- A very small degree of a quantity, or variety of meaning
- (chiefly literary and fantasy) A ghost or specter; a spirit.
- Too long have I been haunted by that .
- The adventurer was attacked by a .
- (countable) A postage stamp showing an obvious difference in colour/color to the original printing and needing a separate catalogue/catalog entry.
- (uncountable, originally gay slang) Subtle insults.
- throw shade
- Why did you paint your room chartreuse? No ; I'm genuinely curious.
From Old English sceadwian, derived from sċeadu (see above).