{
    "term": "shadow",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "image": "data/images/sh/shade_shadow.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the dark shape that somebody/something’s form makes on a surface, for example on the ground, when they are between the light and the surface",
            "labels": "(figurative)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The children were having fun, chasing each other's shadows."
                },
                {
                    "text": "As the curtains moved in the breeze, the shadows on the floor seemed to dance."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The ship's sail **cast a shadow** on the water."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The shadows lengthened as the sun went down."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The man's face is hidden in a deep shadow cast by his umbrella."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They saw the shadow of a man pass by."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He didn't want to **cast a shadow on** *(= spoil)* their happiness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A dark shadow loomed over her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Deep shadows lay across the small clearing where they sat."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The candles on the table threw huge flickering shadows against the wall."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The shadows of the clouds passed over us."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Use a desk light to produce a strong shadow."
                },
                {
                    "text": "As he stood still I traced the outline of his shadow on the wall."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["dark", "deep", "dense"],
                "verb + shadow": ["cast", "create", "make"],
                "shadow + verb": ["fall", "lie", "get longer"],
                "preposition": [
                    "among the shadows",
                    "in the shadows",
                    "into the shadows"
                ],
                "phrases": ["live in the shadow of somebody/​something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "darkness in a place or on something, especially so that you cannot easily see who or what is there",
            "sensetop": "in the shadowsin shadow",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I thought I saw a figure standing in the shadows.",
                    "contextForm": "in the shadows"
                },
                {
                    "text": "His face was deep in shadow, turned away from her.",
                    "contextForm": "in shadow"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A man in black emerged from the shadows."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It had grown dark, and the shadows could be hiding anything."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's a spooky story about the monsters that lurk in the shadows."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She shrank back into the shadows as the footsteps approached."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘I'm right here,’ I said, stepping out of the shadows."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I could just make out a figure in the shadows."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Suddenly a huge figure loomed up out of the shadows."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The house lay in dark shadow."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The storm clouds threw the mountain peaks into dense shadow."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She lay on the bed in a pool of shadow."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["dark", "deep", "dense"],
                "verb + shadow": ["cast", "create", "make"],
                "shadow + verb": ["fall", "lie", "get longer"],
                "preposition": [
                    "among the shadows",
                    "in the shadows",
                    "into the shadows"
                ],
                "phrases": ["live in the shadow of somebody/​something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a very small amount of something",
            "sensetop": "shadow of something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A shadow of a smile touched his mouth."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She knew **beyond a shadow of a doubt** *(= with no doubt at all)* that he was lying."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "hint"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "the strong (often bad) influence of somebody/something",
            "sensetop": "under the shadow of somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The new leader wants to escape from the shadow of his predecessor."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Bergman **casts a long shadow** over world cinema."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These people have been living for years under the shadow of fear.",
                    "contextForm": "under the shadow of somebody/something"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "dark areas under somebody’s eyes, because they are tired, etc.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She looked pale, with deep shadows under her eyes."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "a person or an animal that follows somebody else all the time",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "a weaker or worse version of somebody/something",
            "sensetop": "shadow of somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "So far this season the player has been a shadow of himself."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The result is a product that is a shadow of the real thing."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "a thing that is not real or possible to obtain",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You can't spend all your life **chasing shadows**."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to be very easily frightened; to be very nervous",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Feelings"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to not have the strength, influence, etc. that you used to have",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "When his career ended, he became a shadow of his former self."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "very close to",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The new market is in the shadow of the City Hall."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "when you say that somebody is in/under the shadow of another person, you mean that they do not receive as much attention as that person",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A younger son often lives in the shadow of his elder brother."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈʃædəʊ/",
                "audio": "sh/shadow/shadow__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈʃædəʊ/",
                "audio": "sh/shadow/shadow__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "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’."
}