<p><strong>Noun:</strong></p><ul><li>the comparative darkness caused by the interception or screening of rays of light from an object, place, or area.</li><li>a place or an area of comparative darkness, such as one sheltered from the sun.</li><li>window shade.</li><li>a lampshade.</li><li>anything used for protection against excessive light, heat, etc.</li><li>a shadow.</li><li>the degree of darkness of a color, determined by the quantity of black or by the lack of illumination.</li><li>comparative darkness, as the effect of shadow or dark and light, in pictorial representation; the dark part, or a dark part, of a picture or drawing.</li><li>(in architectural shades and shadows) a shadow upon those parts of a solid that are tangent to or turned away from the parallel rays from the theoretical light source.</li><li>shades, Informal. sunglasses.</li><li>darkness gathering at the close of day.</li><li>a reminder of something.</li><li>a slight variation or degree.</li><li>a little bit; touch, especially of something that may change the color of or lighten or darken something else.</li><li>a secluded or obscure place.</li><li>comparative obscurity.</li><li>Slang. insults, criticism, or disrespect delivered in an indirect, artful manner.</li><li>a specter or ghost.</li><li>Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology. one of the spirits of the dead inhabiting Hades.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb:</strong></p><ul><li>to produce comparative darkness in or on.</li><li>to obscure, dim, or darken.</li><li>to screen or hide from view.</li><li>to protect (something) from light, heat, etc., by or as if by a screen.</li><li>to cover or screen (a candle, light, etc.).</li><li>Fine Arts. to introduce degrees of darkness into (a drawing or painting) in order to render light and shadow or give the effect of color.</li><li>to render the values of light and dark in (a drawn figure, object, etc.), especially in order to create the illusion of three-dimensionality.</li><li>to change by imperceptible degrees into something else.</li><li>to reduce (the price) by way of a concession.</li><li>Slang. to insult, criticize, or disrespect (a person or thing) in an indirect, artful manner.</li><li>to pass or change by slight graduations, as one color, quality, or thing into another.</li><li>to take shelter (as livestock) from the sun.</li></ul>