SHADOW


Meaning of SHADOW in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ʃædoʊ ]

( shadows, shadowing, shadowed)

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.

1.

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...

Nothing would grow in the shadow of the grey wall...

All he could see was his shadow.

N-COUNT

2.

Shadow is darkness in a place caused by something preventing light from reaching it.

Most of the lake was in shadow.

= shade

N-UNCOUNT : oft in N

3.

If something shadows a thing or place, it covers it with a shadow.

The hood shadowed her face.

VERB : V n

4.

If someone shadows you, they follow you very closely wherever you go.

The supporters are being shadowed by a large and highly visible body of police.

= follow

VERB : V n

5.

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.

ADJ : ADJ n

Shadow is also a noun.

Clarke swung at his shadow the accusation that he was ‘a tabloid politician’.

N-COUNT : poss N

6.

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.

It was without a shadow of a doubt the best we’ve played.

PHRASE : usu with brd-neg [ emphasis ]

7.

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.

PHRASE : N inflects

8.

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.

PHRASE : Ns inflect

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Английский словарь Коллинз COBUILD для изучающих язык на продвинутом уровне.