SHADY
What does "SHADY" mean?
Giving shade, or full of shade; also, of doubtful honesty or legality.
Meanings
- Sheltered from direct sunlight; affording or full of shade. We ate lunch on a shady bench under the old maple.
- Of questionable honesty, character, or legality; suspect. The deal looked shady, so she walked away from it. informal
Word origin
From 'shade' (Old English 'sceadu', shadow, darkness) plus the adjective ending '-y'; the 'disreputable' sense grew in the 19th century from the idea of someone keeping to the shadows.
Remember it
SHADY keeps to the shade - picture a dodgy dealer staying out of the light.
A little poem
Under the oak's reach
the noon heat loosens its grip-
cool dark, freely given.
haiku
Wordplay
- The tree was the most trustworthy spot in the park, and somehow also the shadiest.
What it teaches
The same cool spot can be a refuge or a hiding place; the difference is who's standing in it.
Quick facts
What does SHADY mean?
Giving shade, or full of shade; also, of doubtful honesty or legality.
Is SHADY a valid word?
Yes — SHADY is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SHADY?
SHADY has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does SHADY come from?
From 'shade' (Old English 'sceadu', shadow, darkness) plus the adjective ending '-y'; the 'disreputable' sense grew in the 19th century from the idea of someone keeping to the shadows.
What can SHADY teach us?
The same cool spot can be a refuge or a hiding place; the difference is who's standing in it.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.