/ ˈʃædəʊ; NAmE -doʊ/ noun , verb , adjective
■ noun
DARK SHAPE
1.
[ C ] the dark shape that sb/sth's form makes on a surface, for example on the ground, when they are between the light and the surface :
The children were having fun, chasing each other's shadows.
The ship's sail cast a shadow on the water.
The shadows lengthened as the sun went down.
( figurative )
He didn't want to cast a shadow on (= spoil) their happiness.
➡ note at shade
DARKNESS
2.
[ U ] (also shadows [ pl. ]) darkness in a place or on sth, especially so that you cannot easily see who or what is there :
His face was deep in shadow , turned away from her.
I thought I saw a figure standing in the shadows.
➡ note at shade
SMALL AMOUNT
3.
[ sing. ] shadow of sth a very small amount of sth
SYN hint :
A shadow of a smile touched his mouth.
She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt (= with no doubt at all) that he was lying.
INFLUENCE
4.
[ sing. ] shadow of sb/sth the strong (usually bad) influence of sb/sth :
The new leader wants to escape from the shadow of his predecessor.
These people have been living for years under the shadow of fear.
UNDER EYES
5.
shadows [ pl. ] dark areas under sb's eyes, because they are tired, etc.
SB THAT FOLLOWS SB
6.
[ C ] a person or an animal that follows sb else all the time
STH NOT REAL
7.
[ C ] a thing that is not real or possible to obtain :
You can't spend all your life chasing shadows .
—see also eyeshadow , five o'clock shadow
•
IDIOMS
- be frightened / nervous / scared of your own shadow
- in / under the shadow of
—more at former
■ verb
[ vn ]
FOLLOW AND WATCH
1.
to follow and watch sb closely and often secretly :
He was shadowed for a week by the secret police.
2.
to be with sb who is doing a particular job, so that you can learn about it :
It is often helpful for teachers to shadow managers in industry.
COVER WITH SHADOW
3.
to cover sth with a shadow :
A wide-brimmed hat shadowed her face.
The bay was shadowed by magnificent cliffs.
—see also overshadow
■ adjective
[ only before noun ] ( BrE , politics ) used to refer to senior politicians of the main opposition party who would become government ministers if their party won the next election :
the shadow Chancellor
the shadow Cabinet
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English scead(u)we (noun), oblique case of sceadu (see shade ), sceadwian screen or shield from attack , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schaduw and German Schatten (nouns), from an Indo-European root shared by Greek skotos darkness.