3 N‑PLURAL Shackles are two metal rings joined by a chain which are fastened around someone's wrists or ankles in order to prevent them from moving or escaping. □ He unbolted the shackles on Billy's hands.
4 VERB To shackle someone means to put shackles on them. □ [V n] …the chains that were shackling his legs.
shade ◆◇◇ /ʃe I d/ (shades , shading , shaded )
1 N‑COUNT [in N ] A shade of a particular colour is one of its different forms. For example, emerald green and olive green are shades of green. □ [+ of ] The walls were painted in two shades of green. □ …new eyeshadows in a choice of 80 shades.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in the N ] Shade is an area of darkness under or next to an object such as a tree, where sunlight does not reach. □ Temperatures in the shade can reach forty-eight degrees Celsius at this time of year. □ …exotic trees provide welcome shade.
3 VERB If you say that a place or person is shaded by objects such as trees, you mean that the place or person cannot be reached, harmed, or bothered by strong sunlight because those objects are in the way. □ [be V -ed] …a health resort whose beaches are shaded by palm trees. □ [V n] Umbrellas shade outdoor cafes along winding cobblestone streets.
4 VERB If you shade your eyes, you put your hand or an object partly in front of your face in order to prevent a bright light from shining into your eyes. □ [V n] You can't look directly into it; you've got to shade your eyes or close them altogether.
5 N‑UNCOUNT Shade is darkness or shadows as they are shown in a picture. □ …Rembrandt's skilful use of light and shade to create the atmosphere of movement.
6 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The shades of something abstract are its many, slightly different forms. □ [+ of ] …the capacity to convey subtle shades of meaning.
7 VERB If something shades into something else, there is no clear division between the two things, so that you cannot tell where or when the first thing ends and the second thing begins. □ [V + into ] As the dusk shaded into night, we drove slowly through narrow alleys.
8 N‑PLURAL Shades are sunglasses . [INFORMAL ]
9 N‑COUNT A shade is the same as a lampshade .
10 N‑COUNT A shade is a piece of stiff cloth or heavy paper that you can pull down over a window as a covering. [AM ] □ Nancy left the shades down and the lights off. in BRIT, use blind 11 → see also shaded , shading
12 PHRASE To put someone or something in the shade means to be so impressive that the person or thing seems unimportant by comparison. □ …a run that put every other hurdler's performance in the shade.
shad|ed /ʃe I d I d/ ADJ A shaded area on something such as a map is one that is coloured darker than the surrounding areas, so that it can be distinguished from them.
-shaded /-ʃe I d I d/ COMB -shaded combines with nouns to form adjectives which indicate that sunlight is prevented from reaching a certain place by the thing mentioned. □ …a winding, tree-shaded driveway.
shad|ing /ʃe I d I ŋ/ (shadings )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Shading is material such as nets or dark paint that provide shade, especially for plants. □ The conservatory will get very hot in summer unless shading is used.
2 → see also shade
shad|ow ◆◇◇ /ʃæ doʊ/ (shadows , shadowing , shadowed )
1 N‑COUNT A shadow is a dark shape on a surface that is made when something stands between a light and the surface. □ An oak tree cast its shadow over a tiny round pool. □ [+ of ] Nothing would grow in the shadow of the grey wall. □ All he could see was his shadow.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] Shadow is darkness in a place caused by something preventing light from reaching it. □ Most of the lake was in shadow.
3 VERB If something shadows a thing or place, it covers it with a shadow. □ [V n] The hood shadowed her face.
4 VERB If someone shadows you, they follow you very closely wherever you go. □ [be V -ed] The supporters are being shadowed by a large and highly visible body of police.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] A British Member of Parliament who is a member of the shadow cabinet or who is a shadow cabinet minister belongs to the main opposition party and takes a special interest in matters which are the responsibility of a particular government minister. □ …the shadow chancellor. ● N‑COUNT Shadow is also a noun. □ Clarke swung at his shadow the accusation that he was 'a tabloid politician'.
6 PHRASE If you say that something is true without a shadow of a doubt or without a shadow of doubt , you are emphasizing that there is no doubt at all that it is true. [EMPHASIS ] □ It was without a shadow of a doubt the best we've played.
7 PHRASE If you live in the shadow of someone or in their shadow , their achievements and abilities are so great that you are not noticed or valued. □ He has always lived in the shadow of his brother.
8 PHRASE If you say that someone is a shadow of their former self , you mean that they are much less strong or capable than they used to be. □ Johnson returned to the track after his ban but was a shadow of his former self.
sha d|ow box|ing
1 N‑UNCOUNT Shadow boxing is a form of physical exercise or training in which you move your hands and feet as if you are boxing someone.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you describe what two people or groups are doing as shadow boxing , you mean that they seem to be taking action against each other but in fact are not serious about the dispute. □ …the tedious shadow boxing that we normally see between bosses and unions.