Dictionary

shady en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈʃeɪdi/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From shade + -y. Compare Saterland Frisian skaadich, skaddich (“shady”), German schattig (“shady”).

Meanings

1. Abounding in shades.
2. Causing shade.
   • The shady trees cover him with their shadow. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 40:22:
3. Overspread with shade; sheltered from the glare of light or sultry heat.
   • you may have rooms both for summer and winter; shady for summer, and warm for winter 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Building”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
   • I know the shadiest breeziest spots, hidden tables surrounded by trees that have lived longer than the neighborhoods around them. 2020 September 5, Jane Greenway Carr, “How we spent our summer not-vacations”, in CNN:
4. (informal) Not trustworthy; disreputable.
   • He is a shady character.
   • Jon & Kate Plus 8 is a show based on two facts: 1) Jon and Kate Gosselin have eight children, and 2) the word ‘Kate’ rhymes with the word ‘eight’. One suspects that if Kate were ever to have another child, a shady network executive would urge her to put it in a binbag with a brick and drop it down a well. But this is just a horrifying tangent. 2009 May 22, Stuart Heritage, “Jon & Kate Latest: People You Don’t Know Do Crap You Don’t Care About”, in Hecklerspray, archived from the original on 15 Apr 2024:
   • However, when Buster's character was still being developed, he was indeed a much shadier and less lovable character. 2022 September 13, Chris Hodges, “The Untold Truth Of The Sing Franchise”, in Looper:
   • People on the internet seemingly can’t get enough of the whole thing. The Guardian named it “pop’s shadiest power move.” 2018 November 29, Lisa Respers France, “Mariah Carey’s legendary Jennifer Lopez shade was her ‘trying to be nice’”, in CNN:
   • No sunshine in my life, the way I deal is shady 1991, “Blue Lines”, in Blue Lines, performed by Massive Attack:
5. (UK, slang) Mean, cruel.
   • "Don't be shady," she said, "You know I always pay up." 2007, Chastity Danielle Infinity, Jamo Lorswal, A Rose So That It May Rain, page 155:
   • I didn't even ask her to be in the 'Increase the Peace' campaign, which was well shady, 'cos if anyone knows anything about rudes and violence and getting dragged into stuff it's Uma. 2007, Grace Dent, Diary of a Chav 2: Slinging the Bling:
   • They were being proper shady to him. Even if you don't like someone, locking them out, stealing their clothes and ganging up on them to take the piss is just childish. 2006 May 24, Saucy Jack, “BB7: Did Shabazz just deserve that?”, in uk.media.tv.misc (Usenet):

Forms

Deriveds

Shady Cove · keep shady · Shady Valley · on the shady side of · shadiness · Shady Creek · semishady · unshady · shadily

Synonyms

dubious · dodgy · equivocal · suspicious · seedy · corrupt · sketchy

Translations (94)

el ανέντιμος (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · eo suspektinda (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · de schattig (abounding in shades) · sv skum (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · it ombreggiato (abounding in shades) · it torvo (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · ga scáthach (causing shade) · pt sombroso (abounding in shades) · fur ombrôs (abounding in shades) · fi varjoisa (abounding in shades) · el σκιερός (abounding in shades) · bg непочтен (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · de unseriös (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · fi valonarka (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · it ambiguo (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · fi kyseenalainen (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · pt duvidoso (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · bg хвърлящ сянка (causing shade) · alt кӧлӧткӧлӱ (abounding in shades) · it opaco (causing shade) · de dubios (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · sq hijetar (abounding in shades) · pl szemrany (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · de Schatten spendend (causing shade) · tr şaibeli (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · unm thakòn (overspread with shade) · de schattenspendend (causing shade) · bg засенчен (abounding in shades) · es flaite (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · bg сенчест (overspread with shade) · ca ombrós (overspread with shade) · el σκιώδης (abounding in shades) · grc σκιερός (causing shade) · pt suspeito (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · ckb سێبەردار (abounding in shades) · cs stinný (abounding in shades) · ang gesceadlīc (abounding in shades) · es sombreado (abounding in shades) · es umbrátil (causing shade) · de schattig (overspread with shade) · fi varjostava (causing shade) · pl podejrzany (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · cs stinný (overspread with shade) · it losco (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · pl zacieniony (overspread with shade) · es umbroso (abounding in shades) · ga scáthach (overspread with shade) · fur tosc (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · it ombroso (abounding in shades) · ota گولگهلو (abounding in shades) · tr gölgeli (abounding in shades) · ckb سێبەردار (overspread with shade) · it bieco (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · grc σκιώδης (abounding in shades) · ga scáthach (abounding in shades) · cs pochybný (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · ru подозри́тельный (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · es umbrío (abounding in shades) · gl sombrizo (overspread with shade) · cs podezřelý (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · la opācus (abounding in shades) · ru тенистый (overspread with shade) · mi tūmaru (overspread with shade) · ang sceadiht (abounding in shades) · pt umbroso (abounding in shades) · pt sombreado (overspread with shade) · sh sjenovit (abounding in shades) · grc σκιόεις (causing shade) · vi râm (abounding in shades) · nrf ombreux (overspread with shade) · pl cienisty (abounding in shades) · fi varjoinen (abounding in shades) · gl sombrizo (abounding in shades) · ca ombrívol (overspread with shade) · sv suspekt (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · sh sjenovit (causing shade) · la anceps (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · fi hämäräperäinen (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · de zwielichtig (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · unm thakòt (overspread with shade) · ro umbros (abounding in shades) · ga foscúil (abounding in shades) · grc σκιερός (overspread with shade) · fr ombragé (abounding in shades) · ru тёмный (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · pl cienisty (causing shade) · fr louche (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · pt escuso (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known) · mi taumarumaru (overspread with shade) · es umbrátil (abounding in shades) · la opācus (overspread with shade) · ota گولگهلو (overspread with shade) · es umbroso (causing shade) · bg съмнителен (not trustworthy; unfit to be seen or known)