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Darkness vs Shade - What's the difference?

darkness | shade | Related terms |

In uncountable terms the difference between darkness and shade

is that darkness is evilness, lack of understanding or compassion, reference to death or suffering while shade is darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.

In countable terms the difference between darkness and shade

is that darkness is the product of being dark while shade is a postage stamp showing an obvious difference in colour/color to the original printing and needing a separate catalogue/catalog entry.

As a verb shade is

to shield from light.

darkness

English

Alternative forms

* darckness (obsolete) * darkeness (obsolete)

Noun

  • (lb) The state of being dark; lack of light.
  • :
  • *1912 , (Willa Cather),
  • *:Over everything was darkness and thick silence, and the smell of dust and sunflowers.
  • *
  • *:Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness , but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
  • (lb) Gloom.
  • (lb) The product of being dark.
  • (lb) The state or quality of reflecting little light, of tending to a blackish or brownish color.
  • :
  • (lb) Evilness, lack of understanding or compassion, reference to death or suffering.
  • Antonyms

    * lightness

    shade

    English

    (wikipedia shade)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) sceadu.

    Noun

  • (label) Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8 , passage=Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet:
  • (label) Something that blocks light, particularly in a window.
  • (label) A variety of a colour/color, in particular one obtained by adding black (compare tint).
  • * (John Locke) (1632-1705)
  • Thus light and colours, as white, red, yellow, blue, with their several degrees or shades , and mixtures, as green, scarlet, purple, sea-green, and the rest, come in only by the eyes
  • (label) A subtle variation in a concept.
  • * (Thomas De Quincey) (1785-1859)
  • new shades and combinations of thought
  • * (1800-1859)
  • Every shade of religious and political opinion has its own headquarters.
  • (label) An aspect that is reminiscent of something.
  • * Agatha Christie, Miss Marple Tells a Story
  • Mrs. Rhodes who (so I gathered from Mr. Petherick's careful language) was perhaps just a shade of a hypochondriac, had retired to bed immediately after dinner.
  • A ghost.
  • * (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • Swift as thought the flitting shade / Thro' air his momentary journey made.
  • (label) A creature that is partially human and partially angel.
  • (label) A postage stamp showing an obvious difference in colour/color to the original printing and needing a separate catalogue/catalog entry.
  • Subtle insults.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) sceadwian.

    Verb

    (shad)
  • To shield from light.
  • The old oak tree shaded the lawn in the heat of the day.
  • To alter slightly.
  • You'll need to shade your shot slightly to the left.
    Most politicians will shade the truth if it helps them.
  • To vary slightly, particularly in color.
  • The hillside was bright green, shading towards gold in the drier areas.
  • (intransitive, baseball, of a defensive player) To move slightly from one's normal fielding position.
  • Jones will shade a little to the right on this pitch count.
  • To darken, particularly in drawing.
  • I draw contours first, gradually shading in midtones and shadows.
  • (obsolete) To shelter; to cover from injury; to protect; to screen.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Ere in our own house I do shade my head.
  • (obsolete) To present a shadow or image of; to shadow forth; to represent.
  • * Spenser
  • [The goddess] in her person cunningly did shade / That part of Justice which is Equity.
    Derived terms
    * (l)

    Derived terms

    * lampshade * made in the shade * nightshade * shader * shading * shady