adjective
shady
SHAY-dee
adjective
1
Sheltered from direct sunlight; full of shade.
"We had a picnic under a shady oak tree."
"The garden has a shady corner where nothing much grows."
2
Untrustworthy or dishonest in a way that seems hidden or underhand.
"He got involved in some shady business deals and lost everything."
How to Use Shady
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither literally blocking sunlight, or informally describing someone or something that seems dodgy or dishonest.
When to use it
The "dishonest" sense is informal and common in everyday speech.
Common pairings
shady deal
shady character
shady spot
Word Forms
shadier comparative, Shadys plural, shadiest superlative
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We had a picnic under a _____ oak tree.
Etymology
From "shade" plus "-y".