n. The comparative obscurity, dimness, or gloom caused by the interception or interruption of the rays of light.n. A place or spot sheltered from the sun's rays; a shaded or shady spot; hence, a secluded or obscure retreat.n. plural Darkling shadows; darkness which advances as light wanes; darkness: as, the shades of evening.n. In painting, the dark part or parts of a picture; also, deficiency or absence of illumination.n. Degree or gradation of defective luminosity in a color: often used vaguely from the fact that paleness, or high luminosity combined with defective chroma, is confounded with high luminosity by itself: as, a dark or deep shade; three different shades of brown. See color, huc, and tint.n. A small or scarcely perceptible degree or amount; a trace; a trifle.n. A person's shadow.n. The soul after its separation from the body: so called because supposed to be perceptible to the sight, but not to the touch; a departed spirit; a ghost: as, the shades of departed heroes.n. plural The departed spirits, or their unseen abode; the invisible world of the ancients; Hades: with the definite article.n. A screen; especially, a screen or protection against excessive heat or light; something used to modify or soften the intensity of heat or light: as, a shade for the eyes; a window-shade; a sun shade.n. Specificallyn. A colored glass used in a sextant or other optical instrument for solar observation, for toning down and coloring the sun's image, or that of the horizon, in order to make the outlines more distinct and perceptible.n. A globe, cylinder, or conic frustum of glass, porcelain, or other translucent material surrounding the flame of a lamp or candle, a gas-jet, or the like, to confine the light to a particular area, or to soften and diffuse it.n. A hollow perforated cylinder used to cover a night- light.n. A hollow glass covering for protecting ornaments, etc., from dust.n. A more or less opaque curtain of linen, muslin, paper, or other flexible material, used at a window to exclude light, or to regulate the amount admitted; a blind. Shades are usually attached to a roller actuated by a spring within it, or by a cord.n. Milit., same as umbrel.n. Guise; cover.n. In entomology, a part of a surface, generally without definite borders, where the color is deepened and darkened either by being intensified or by admixture of black: applied especially to dark, ill-defined spaces on the wings of moths, which in some cases are distinguished by specific names: as, the median shade.n. Same as shutter : as, the shades of the swell-box in a pipe-organ.n. Synonyms Shade, Shadow. 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. Hence, when we say, let us resort to the shade of a tree, we have no thought of form or size, as of course we have when we speak of measuring a pyramid or other object by its shadow.n. Apparition, Specter, etc. See ghost.To shelter or screen from glare or light; shelter from the light and heat of the sun.To hide; screen; shelter; especially, to shelter or screen from injury.To cast a shade over; overspread with darkness, gloom, or obscurity; obscure; cast into the shade.In drawing and painting:To paint in obscure colors; darken.To mark with gradations of color.To cover with a shade or screen; furnish with a shade or something that intercepts light, heat, dust, etc.To typify; foreshow; represent figuratively.To place something near enough to the top of (an open organ-pipe) to affect the vibrating air-column, and thus raise the pitch of its tone.To place (a gun-barrel) so that about half the interior shall be in shadow, for the purpose of testing the straightness of the bore.A dialectal form of shed, shed, and sheath.n. A material for women's gowns, worn in the eighteenth century.