shady
/'ʃeidi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Providing or situated in shade: Describes an area that is sheltered from direct sunlight, often by trees or structures.
- Of questionable honesty, legality, or morality: Describes a person, action, or situation that seems dishonest, suspicious, or not entirely legitimate.
- Of dubious character or reputation: Suggests a lack of respectability or trustworthiness.
Usage Examples
- Adjective (Providing shade):
- We found a shady spot under the oak tree to have our picnic.
- The garden has a cool, shady corner that's perfect for reading.
- Adjective (Questionable/Dishonest):
- He was involved in some shady business deals that eventually got him into trouble.
- I don't trust that salesman; he seems a bit shady.
Advanced Usage
- "On the shady side of (an age)": An idiom meaning somewhat older than the stated age.
- He's on the shady side of fifty but still runs marathons.
- "Keep shady": An informal, chiefly American expression meaning to stay out of sight or keep a low profile.
- After the incident, he decided to keep shady for a few weeks.
Variants and Related Words
- Shadily (adverb): In a shady manner.
- He acted shadily, avoiding direct answers.
- Shadiness (noun): The quality of being shady.
- The shadiness of the transaction made everyone nervous.
Synonyms
- For "providing shade": shaded, shadowy, umbrageous, cool.
- For "questionable": dubious, suspicious, fishy, disreputable, louche, unscrupulous.
Related Phrases
- Shady character: A person of dubious morals or honesty.
- The detective warned us about the shady characters hanging around the docks.
- Shady deal: A business agreement that is not completely honest or legal.
- The politician was accused of making shady deals with contractors.
Related Idioms
- Cast a shady light on something: To make something seem suspicious or less reputable.
- The new evidence casts a shady light on the company's financial reports.
Adjective
- filled with shade
- the shady side of the street
- the surface of the pond is dark and shadowed
- we sat on rocks in a shadowy cove
- cool umbrageous woodlands
- not as expected
- there was something fishy about the accident
- up to some funny business
- some definitely queer goings-on
- a shady deal
- her motives were suspect
- suspicious behavior
- of questionable taste or morality
- a louche nightclub
- a louche painting
- (of businesses and businessmen) unscrupulous
- a shady operation