Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense shines, present participle shining, past tense, past participle shined, past tense, past participle shonelanguage note: The past tense and past participle of the verb is shone, except for meaning [sense 5] when it is shined.
1. verb
When the sun or a light shines, it gives out bright light.
It is a mild morning and the sun is shining. [VERB]
A few scattered lights shone on the horizon. [VERB]
Synonyms: gleam, flash, beam, glow More Synonyms of shine
2. verb
If you shine a torch or other light somewhere, you point it there, so that you can see something when it is dark.
One of the men shone a torch in his face. [VERB noun preposition]
The container is invisible until you shine an ultraviolet light on it. [VERB noun preposition]
The man walked slowly towards her, shining the flashlight. [VERB noun]
3. verb
Something that shines is very bright and clear because it is reflecting light.
Her blue eyes shone and caught the light. [VERB]
...a pair of patent shoes that shone like mirrors. [VERB]
...shining aluminum machines. [VERB-ing]
4. singular noun
Something that has a shine is bright and clear because it is reflecting light.
This gel gives a beautiful shine to the hair.
The wood had been recently polished to bring back the shine.
Synonyms: polish, gloss, sheen, glaze More Synonyms of shine
5. verb
If you shine a wooden, leather, or metal object, you make it bright by rubbing or polishing it.
Let him dust and shine the furniture. [VERB noun]
His high black boots had been shined to a gleaming finish. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: polish, buff, burnish, brush More Synonyms of shine
6. verb
Someone who shines at a skill or activity does it extremely well.
Did you shine at school? [VERB]
He failed to shine academically. [VERB]
Synonyms: be outstanding, stand out, excel, star More Synonyms of shine
7. See also shining
8.
See take a shine to sb
9. rain or shine
More Synonyms of shine
shine in British English
(ʃaɪn)
verbWord forms: shines, shining or shone
1. (intransitive)
to emit light
2. (intransitive)
to glow or be bright with reflected light
3. (transitive)
to direct the light of (a lamp, etc)
he shone the torch in my eyes
4. (tr; past tense and past participle shined)
to cause to gleam by polishing
to shine shoes
5. (intransitive)
to be conspicuously competent; excel
she shines at tennis
6. (intransitive)
to appear clearly; be conspicuous
the truth shone out of his words
noun
7.
the state or quality of shining; sheen; lustre
8. rain or shine
9. informal short for moonshine (sense 2)
10. informal
a liking or fancy (esp in the phrase take a shine to)
Word origin
Old English scīnan; related to Old Norse skīna, Gothic skeinan, Old High German scīnan to shine, Greek skia shadow
to emit or reflect light; be radiant or bright with light; gleam; glow
2.
to be eminent, conspicuous, or brilliant; stand out; excel
3.
to exhibit itself clearly or conspicuously
love shining from her face
verb transitive
4.
to direct the light of
to shine a flashlight
5.
to make shiny or bright by polishing
to shine shoes
noun
6.
brightness; radiance
7.
luster; polish; gloss
8. US
shoeshine
9.
splendor; brilliance; show
10.
sunshine; fair weather
11. US, Informal, Obsolete
a trick or prank
usually used in pl.
12. US, Slang
black (sense 20)
a vulgar term of hostility and contempt
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈpolish
Idioms:
shine up to
take a shine to
Word origin
ME schinen < OE scinan, akin to Ger scheinen < IE base *sāi-, to glimmer > Gr skia, shadow
More idioms containing
shine
come rain or shine
take the shine off something
take a shine to someone
Examples of 'shine' in a sentence
shine
Their messages hopefully shine some light on the shadowy face of death.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The doctor shines a torch inside it.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
His topflight quality shone at the back.
The Sun (2010)
The sun and moon shine on the hidden part of your chart.
The Sun (2014)
The grey hairs were shining and the lines around the eyes were caught by some cruel lenses.
Moynihan, John Kevin Keegan - Black and White (1993)
Your confidence is through the roof but what shines brightest is your sunny personality.
The Sun (2015)
When the sun shines through the great rose window the radiance seems to burn your eyes.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Throughout it all the quality always shines through the weirdness.
The Sun (2006)
It also means the stars shine more clearly and brightly.
The Sun (2010)
Let him indeed shine a light on the grubby dealings between lobbyists and politicians.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
So where do they choose to shine their torch?
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
Do this until the shine comes back to the surface.
The Sun (2014)
The moon shines on your personality chart and there is something about you that intrigues people.
The Sun (2008)
Hair will shine more if cleansed really well.
The Sun (2007)
The light will shine brighter and it will make pretty patterns on the tent walls too.
The Sun (2014)
Essential viewing come rain or shine.
The Sun (2011)
The dance lacked lustre and shine.
The Sun (2010)
They'll do their job come rain or shine.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Scrub the garden furniture and leave it in position, come rain or come shine.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
From one bank to the other, come rain or shine.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
She has said that she chose the arts as a career because she knew she wouldn't shine academically.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The promise of the new world these pursuits would bring takes the shine off once prized activities, relationships and pursuits.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Having to replace the boiler has taken the shine off buying our first home, but it is a major part of a house.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
shine
British English: shine /ʃaɪn/ VERB
When the sun or a light shines, it gives out bright light.
It is warm and the sun is shining.
American English: shine
Arabic: يَلْمَعُ
Brazilian Portuguese: brilhar
Chinese: 闪亮
Croatian: svijetliti
Czech: zářit
Danish: skinne
Dutch: schijnen
European Spanish: relucir
Finnish: kiiltää
French: briller
German: leuchten
Greek: λάμπω
Italian: splendere
Japanese: 光る
Korean: 빛나다
Norwegian: skinne
Polish: zaświecić
European Portuguese: brilhar
Romanian: a străluci
Russian: светить
Latin American Spanish: relucir
Swedish: skina
Thai: ทำให้ส่องแสง
Turkish: parlamak
Ukrainian: сяяти
Vietnamese: chiếu sáng
British English: shine NOUN
Something that has a shine is bright and clear because it is reflecting light.
This gel gives a beautiful shine to the hair.
American English: shine
Brazilian Portuguese: brilho
Chinese: 光泽
European Spanish: brillo
French: éclat
German: Glanz
Italian: lucentezza
Japanese: 光沢
Korean: 윤
European Portuguese: brilho
Latin American Spanish: brillo
All related terms of 'shine'
shine up to
to try to ingratiate oneself with; curry favor with
rain or shine
If you say that someone does something rain or shine , you mean that they do it regularly, without being affected by the weather or other circumstances.
take a shine to
to take a liking to (someone)
come rain or shine
done regularly, regardless of the weather or other problems
take a shine to sb
If you say that someone has taken a shine to another person, you mean that he or she liked them very much at their first meeting .
take the shine off something
to make something less enjoyable than it should be
Chinese translation of 'shine'
shine
(ʃaɪn)
Word forms:ptppshone
vi
[sun, light]照耀 (zhàoyào)
[eyes, hair]发(發)光 (fāguāng)
(= excel)
to shine (at sth)(在某方面)很出色 ((zài mǒu fāngmiàn) hěn chūsè)
vt
[torch, light]用 ... 照 (yòng ... zhào)
Word forms:ptppshined
(= polish)[shoes, furniture etc]擦亮 (cāliàng)
n(s/u)
(of surface) 光泽(澤) (guāngzé)
1 (verb)
Definition
to give off or reflect light
It is a mild morning and the sun is shining.
Synonyms
gleam
His red sports car gleamed in the sun.
flash
Lightning flashed among the distant dark clouds.
beam
A sharp white spotlight beamed down on a small stage.
glow
The night lantern glowed softly in the darkness.
sparkle
His bright eyes sparkled.
glitter
The palace glittered with lights.
glare
shimmer
The lights shimmered on the water.
radiate
From here contaminated air radiates out to the open countryside.
twinkle
At night, lights twinkle in distant villages across the valleys.
glimmer
The moon glimmered faintly through the mists.
glisten
The calm sea glistened in the sunlight.
emit light
give off light
scintillate
2 (verb)
Definition
to make clean and bright by polishing
Let him dust and shine the furniture.
Synonyms
polish
Every morning he polished his shoes.
buff
He was already buffing the car's hubs.
burnish
His shoes were burnished, his shirt perfectly pressed.
brush
Have you brushed your teeth?
wax
gloss
rub up
3 (verb)
Definition
to be very good at something
He conspicuously failed to shine academically.
Synonyms
be outstanding
stand out
excel
star
be successful
be distinguished
steal the show
be conspicuous
be pre-eminent
stand out in a crowd
1 (noun)
Definition
brightness or lustre
The wood has been recently polished to bring back the shine.
Synonyms
polish
I admired the high polish of his boots.
gloss
The rain produced a black gloss on the asphalt.
sheen
The carpet has a silvery sheen to it.
glaze
hand-painted tiles with decorative glazes
lustre
Gold retains its lustre for far longer than other metals.
patina
2 (noun)
Definition
brightness or lustre
There was a sparkle about her, a shine of anticipation.
Synonyms
brightness
An astronomer can determine the brightness of each star.
light
Cracks of light filtered through the shutters.
sparkle
There was a sparkle in her eye that could not be hidden.
radiance
The dim bulb cast a soft radiance over his face.
idiom
See take a shine to something or someone
Additional synonyms
in the sense of beam
Definition
to send out or radiate
A sharp white spotlight beamed down on a small stage.
Synonyms
radiate,
flash,
shine,
glow,
glitter,
glare,
gleam,
emit light,
give off light
in the sense of brush
Definition
to clean, scrub, or paint with a brush
Have you brushed your teeth?
Synonyms
clean,
wash,
polish,
scrub,
buff
in the sense of buff
Definition
to clean or polish (a metal, floor, shoes, etc.) with a buff
He was already buffing the car's hubs.
Synonyms
polish,
clean,
smooth,
brush,
shine,
rub,
wax,
brighten,
burnish
Synonyms of 'shine'
shine
Explore 'shine' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of burnish
Definition
to make or become shiny or smooth by friction
His shoes were burnished, his shirt perfectly pressed.
Synonyms
polish,
shine,
buff,
brighten,
rub up,
furbish (formal)
in the sense of flash
Definition
to shine with a bright light suddenly or repeatedly
Lightning flashed among the distant dark clouds.
Synonyms
blaze,
shine,
beam,
sparkle,
glitter,
flare,
glare,
gleam,
light up,
flicker,
shimmer,
twinkle,
glint,
glisten,
scintillate,
coruscate
in the sense of glaze
Definition
a protective shiny coating applied to a piece of pottery
hand-painted tiles with decorative glazes
Synonyms
coat,
finish,
polish,
shine,
gloss,
varnish,
enamel,
lacquer,
lustre,
patina
in the sense of glimmer
Definition
(of a light) to glow faintly or flickeringly
The moon glimmered faintly through the mists.
Synonyms
gleam,
shine,
glow,
sparkle,
glitter,
blink,
flicker,
shimmer,
twinkle,
glisten
in the sense of glisten
Definition
(of a wet or glossy surface) to gleam by reflecting light
The calm sea glistened in the sunlight.
Synonyms
gleam,
flash,
shine,
glance,
sparkle,
glitter,
shimmer,
twinkle,
glint,
glimmer,
scintillate,
coruscate
in the sense of glitter
Definition
to be brilliant in a showy way
The palace glittered with lights.
Synonyms
shine,
flash,
sparkle,
flare,
glare,
gleam,
shimmer,
twinkle,
glint,
glimmer,
glisten,
scintillate,
coruscate
in the sense of gloss
Synonyms
glaze,
finish,
polish,
shine,
varnish,
veneer,
lacquer,
burnish,
furbish
in the sense of gloss
Definition
a bright shine on a surface
The rain produced a black gloss on the asphalt.
Synonyms
shine,
gleam,
sheen,
polish,
brilliance,
varnish,
brightness,
veneer,
lustre,
burnish,
patina
in the sense of glow
Definition
to shine intensely
The night lantern glowed softly in the darkness.
Synonyms
shine,
burn,
gleam,
brighten,
glimmer,
smoulder
in the sense of light
Definition
to understand
Cracks of light filtered through the shutters.
Synonyms
brightness,
illumination,
luminosity,
luminescence,
ray of light,
flash of light,
shining,
glow,
blaze,
sparkle,
glare,
gleam,
brilliance,
glint,
lustre,
radiance,
incandescence,
phosphorescence,
scintillation,
effulgence,
lambency,
refulgence
Additional synonyms
in the sense of lustre
Definition
soft shining light reflected from a surface
Gold retains its lustre for far longer than other metals.
Synonyms
sparkle,
shine,
glow,
glitter,
dazzle,
gleam,
gloss,
brilliance,
sheen,
shimmer,
glint,
brightness,
radiance,
burnish,
resplendence,
lambency,
luminousness
in the sense of radiance
The dim bulb cast a soft radiance over his face.
Synonyms
brightness,
light,
shine,
glow,
glitter,
glare,
gleam,
brilliance,
lustre,
luminosity,
incandescence,
resplendence,
effulgence
in the sense of radiate
Definition
to emit or be emitted as radiation
From here contaminated air radiates out to the open countryside.
Synonyms
emanate,
shine,
beam,
be diffused
in the sense of sheen
Definition
a glistening brightness on the surface of something
The carpet has a silvery sheen to it.
Synonyms
shine,
gleam,
gloss,
polish,
brightness,
lustre,
burnish,
patina,
shininess
in the sense of shimmer
Definition
to shine with a faint unsteady light
The lights shimmered on the water.
Synonyms
gleam,
twinkle,
glimmer,
dance,
glisten,
scintillate
in the sense of sparkle
Definition
to glitter with many bright points of light
His bright eyes sparkled.
Synonyms
glitter,
flash,
spark,
shine,
beam,
glow,
gleam,
wink,
shimmer,
twinkle,
dance,
glint,
glisten,
glister (archaic),
scintillate,
coruscate
in the sense of sparkle
Definition
a small bright point of light
There was a sparkle in her eye that could not be hidden.
Synonyms
glitter,
flash,
gleam,
spark,
dazzle,
flicker,
brilliance,
twinkle,
glint,
radiance,
coruscation
in the sense of twinkle
Definition
(of the eyes) to sparkle, esp. with amusement or delight
At night, lights twinkle in distant villages across the valleys.