I. ˈshīn verb
( shone ˈshōn also ˈshän sometimes ˈshən or ˈshȯn ; or shined ; shone or shined ; shining ; shines )
Etymology: Middle English shinen, from Old English scīnan; akin to Old High German skīnan to shine, Old Norse skīna, Gothic skeinan to shine, Greek skia shadow, skēnē tent, stage, Sanskrit chāyā shadow, reflection, Old Slavic sijati to shine, get bright
intransitive verb
1. : to emit rays of light : give light : beam with steady radiance
the stars shine with a brilliance never seen down in valleys — G.W.Gray b.1886
the points of light were … shining with a greenish luster — Ambrose Bierce
2. : to be bright by reflection of light : gleam , glisten : be glossy
the berries … decorated with sunlight and dew shone like black-purple glass — G.S.Perry
the air was bright and the water shone like dark silk — G.A.Wagner
3. : to be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished : exhibit brilliant talent or intellectual powers
restrained any inclination to shine or push himself forward — H.R.Warfel
acquiring those graces which would enable him to shine at dinner parties — E.J.Simmons
4. : to have a bright glowing appearance : give the effect of radiance : display or show beauty or splendor
as he talked his eyes began to shine — Sherwood Anderson
his withered face shone with a spiritual power — Liam O'Flaherty
5. : to be conspicuously evident : be clearly apparent
the courage and ability which shine brightly in adversity — A.M.Young
the glory of Greece shines not only in her antiquity — Sir Winston Churchill
human feeling shines through all her books — S.T.Williams
6. archaic : to be sunny : dawn
7. : to cast an auspicious or favoring light
the light which shined to him was the single divine light — V.L.Parrington
— often used with upon
8. : to sparkle or glow with cleanliness
though the furnishings may be modest … her home fairly shines — American Guide Series: Louisiana
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to cause to emit light
(2) : to send forth like light
the hardest thing … for one human being to shine into another human being the glow that burned within himself — Bruce Marshall
b. : to throw or flash the light of
stood there and shined our flashlights on the deck — Richard Bissell
2. : to make bright by polishing
was not going to shine shoes longer than he had to — H.A.Sinclair
shined his brass buttons — Robert Hazel
3. : to throw light into (as the eyes of an animal) while hunting for the purpose of attracting the attention of and getting an opportunity to kill the prey
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a.
(1) : brightness caused by the emission of light : illumination , radiance
the shine of a lantern signaled the approach of a sentry
the windows gleamed gold in the shine of the setting sun
(2) obsolete : a beam of light : nimbus
b.
(1) : a brilliance of quality or appearance : splendor
a magazine with a high literary shine — Norman Cousins
grand opera … that has kept its shine for 200 years — Time
(2) : an ostentatious display : show
celebrate the nuptials with due shine and celebration — Thomas Carlyle
2.
a. : brightness caused by the reflection of light : luster , sheen
on the black shine of boulevard the buses plowed up and down — Bruce Marshall
b. : brightness usually of countenance reflected from an inner quality of spirit
the sort of shine you want … does come from the heart that is gay — Constance Foster
exuding modesty, humility and the shine of honesty — Time
3. : fair weather : sunshine
will go rain or shine
4.
a. : a stupid trick : silly caper : prank — usually used in plural
figured you never would try to pull any shines — R.P.Warren
b. dialect chiefly England : a meeting or gathering that is noisy and disorderly
5. : a sudden fancy : liking
if she takes a shine to you she'll treat you all right — H.A.Sinclair
6.
a. : a polish or gloss given to shoes
b. : a single polishing of a pair of shoes
7. : negro — usually taken to be offensive
8. : moonshine 3
III. adjective
Etymology: alteration (influenced by shine ) (I) of sheen (I)
obsolete : shining