shine
gb/ʃˈaɪn/ us/ʃˈaɪn/
A2
English
~ 9100
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
event
1
give off light or be bright
To give light, or to be bright because light comes from it, like the sun or a lamp.
Usage pattern:
[something] shines
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *shine* instead of *bright* or *shiny* before a noun, saying *a shine light* instead of *a bright light*, or *a shine table* instead of *a shiny table*. Use *shine* mainly as a verb (*the light shines*), and use *bright* or *shiny* as adjectives before nouns.
Synonyms
glow (Suggests a softer, steadier light, often weaker or gentler than shine.)
|
beam (Often used when light comes in strong, clear lines, like from a flashlight or the sun through clouds.)
Antonyms
be dark (Describes the absence of light, which is the opposite of something shining.)
Collocations
shine brightly
|shine in the sky
|stars shine
|lights shine
|shine at night
|the sun shines
Themes
nature
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The stars were shining clearly in the cold night sky.
- A single lamp shone in the window of the small house.
- Her phone screen shone brightly in the dark room.
- The sun was shining, so we decided to eat outside.
- A light shone from the end of the tunnel.
Learner examples
- The sun shines on the lake.
- At night, many small lights shine in the city.
- A bright star shines above the mountains.
- The lamp shines on my book when I read.
- A candle shines softly in the dark room.
Verb
B2
action
2
be very good or impressive
To do something very well, so people notice that you are better than others.
Usage pattern:
[someone] shines at [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with physical light and say things like *He shines in football* thinking about brightness. Here, *shine* is figurative and means *do very well*. Also, avoid *shine something* in this sense; say *shine at math* or *shine in the exam*, not *shine math* or *shine the exam*.
Synonyms
excel (Slightly more formal and often used in writing; focuses strongly on very high ability or achievement.)
|
stand out (Emphasizes being noticed among others; may not always mean being the very best, just more noticeable.)
Antonyms
struggle (Suggests having difficulty and not performing well, which contrasts with shining at something.)
Collocations
really shine
|shine at [a subject]
|shine in [an exam]
|chance to shine
|let someone shine
|where she really shines
Themes
work
|education
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She really shines at public speaking and always holds the audience’s attention.
- He shines in pressure situations and never seems to panic.
- Math is the subject where he truly shines.
- Their youngest daughter shines on stage whenever she performs.
- This is your chance to shine in front of the whole team.
Learner examples
- She shines at science and gets top grades.
- He shines in big games and often scores.
- I do not shine in tests; I get very nervous.
- Our new manager shines when there is a problem.
- Your ideas shine in this report.
Verb
B1
action
3
direct a light at something
To point a light, like a flashlight or lamp, so that the light goes onto something.
Usage pattern:
to shine [a light] on [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes leave out the object and say *He shone on the book* when they mean *He shone a light on the book*. In this sense, *shine* is usually used with an object like *light*, *flashlight*, or *torch*.
Synonyms
illuminate (More formal; often used in written or technical contexts, but means to light something up.)
Antonyms
darken (Means to make something less bright or without light, the opposite of shining light on it.)
Collocations
shine a light on
|shine a flashlight on
|shine a torch on
|shine the headlights on
|shine a spotlight on
Themes
daily life
|technology
|daily_life
Examples
- He shone a flashlight on the map so we could see it.
- The guard shone his torch on the door to check the lock.
- She shone a bright light on the painting to look at the details.
- Please don’t shine the headlights directly on the house windows.
- The stage crew shone a spotlight on the main actor.
Learner examples
- He shines a light on the wall.
- She shines a flashlight on the ground to find her keys.
- The driver shines his headlights on the road.
- Please do not shine that bright light in my eyes.
- They shine a lamp on the picture to see it better.
Verb
B1
action
4
polish something until it is bright
To rub something again and again, like shoes or a table, so that it becomes clean and bright.
Usage pattern:
to shine [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *make my shoes shine* when they could simply say *shine my shoes*. Both are correct, but *shine my shoes* is more direct. Also, avoid saying *wash my shoes to shine them* when you mean *polish my shoes*.
Synonyms
polish (The most common verb for making surfaces smooth and bright; slightly more general and also used for language or work.)
|
buff (Often used for shining shoes or cars by rubbing strongly with a cloth.)
Antonyms
scuff (Means to damage the surface so it looks dull or marked, the opposite of shining it.)
Collocations
shine your shoes
|shine his boots
|shine the floor
|shine the silver
|shine the table
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He shined his shoes before the interview.
- The hotel staff had shined the floors until they looked new.
- She spent an hour shining the silver for the party.
- They shined the table so well that it reflected the lights.
- The children were paid to shine boots outside the station.
Learner examples
- I shine my shoes every Sunday.
- He shines the table with a clean cloth.
- They shine the floor before the guests arrive.
- She shines her boots so they look new.
- We shine the cups until they are bright.
Verb
B1
event
5
reflect light and look bright
To look bright because light hits a smooth or clean surface and comes back to your eyes.
Usage pattern:
[something] shines
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *shiny* where a verb is needed and say *Her hair is shiny in the sun* instead of *Her hair shines in the sun*. Both are grammatical, but *shines* is a verb (an action/state) and *shiny* is an adjective (a property).
Synonyms
gleam (Suggests a clean, sometimes narrow or soft light reflected from a surface.)
|
sparkle (Suggests many small, quick flashes of light, often from something like water or jewelry.)
Antonyms
look dull (Means to have little or no shine, the opposite of reflecting light brightly.)
Collocations
hair shines
|eyes shone
|car shone
|floor shone
|freshly shined shoes
|shining surface
Themes
daily life
|science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her hair shone in the sunlight.
- The polished floor shone like glass.
- His eyes shone with tears as he spoke.
- The new car shone after it was washed.
- The metal rails shone in the morning light.
Learner examples
- The clean floor shines in the sun.
- His shoes shine after he cleans them.
- Her hair shines when it is wet.
- The plates shine on the table.
- The river shines in the evening light.
Noun
B2
property
6
brightness on a smooth surface
The bright look on something smooth and clean, like on new shoes or a polished table.
Usage pattern:
the shine on [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *a big light* when they mean *a nice shine* on a surface. *Light* is what comes from lamps or the sun; *shine* is how the surface looks when it reflects light.
Synonyms
gloss (Often used for surfaces like paint, hair, or magazines; can sound slightly more technical or commercial.)
Antonyms
dullness (Describes a lack of bright reflection on a surface, the opposite of shine.)
Collocations
a nice shine
|high shine
|lose its shine
|the shine on the floor
|a mirror-like shine
|restore the shine
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The shoes had a perfect shine after he polished them.
- She worked hard to bring back the shine on the wooden table.
- Over time, the floor lost its shine and looked old.
- The conditioner gives your hair a healthy shine.
- The car’s paint still has a factory shine.
Learner examples
- Your shoes have a good shine.
- I want to get the shine back on this table.
- The floor has no shine now.
- This cream gives my hair more shine.
- The car keeps its shine after the wash.
Noun
B2
action
7
act or process of polishing
The work of cleaning and rubbing something to make it bright, or the bright result after this work.
Usage pattern:
give [something] a shine
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse the noun *shine* with the verb and say *I will shine to my shoes* instead of *I will give my shoes a shine* or *I will shine my shoes*.
Synonyms
polish (Can mean both the act and the substance used; slightly more common in modern usage than *shine* in this sense.)
Antonyms
neglect (Not taking care of or cleaning something, the opposite of giving it a shine.)
Collocations
give your shoes a shine
|a quick shine
|shoe shine
|a good shine
|car shine
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He stopped to get a quick shoe shine before the meeting.
- These boots need a good shine.
- The service includes a wash and a shine for your car.
- She gave the silver a shine before putting it on the table.
- A man on the corner offers shoe shines for commuters.
Learner examples
- My shoes need a shine.
- He gives his car a shine every weekend.
- I will give these boots a quick shine.
- The boy sells shoe shines on the street.
- After a shine, the table looks new.
Noun
informal
C1
state
8
sudden or strong liking
A quick and strong feeling that you like someone or something, often used in the phrase *take a shine to*.
Usage pattern:
take a shine to [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use *shine* alone, as in *I have a shine for him*. In modern English, this sense is almost always used in the fixed phrase *take a shine to [someone/something]*.
Synonyms
liking (More general and neutral; *shine* suggests the feeling starts quickly or is especially strong.)
Antonyms
dislike (The opposite emotional attitude, when you do not like someone or something.)
Collocations
take a shine to
|a real shine to
|seems to have a shine to
Themes
emotions
|relationships
Examples
- The dog seems to have taken a shine to you.
- She quickly took a shine to her new teacher.
- Our boss has taken a real shine to the new intern.
- The kids took a shine to the game right away.
- He hoped the audience would take a shine to his music.
Learner examples
- The baby takes a shine to her uncle.
- My son took a shine to his new school.
- The cat takes a shine to our neighbor.
- She took a shine to that red dress.
- The class took a shine to the new book.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shine
IPA
GB/ʃˈaɪn/
US/ʃˈaɪn/
Syllables & stress
shine (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shine)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shine
- Plural: shine
Verb
- Base: shine
- 3rd Person Singular: shines
- Present Participle: shining
- Past: shined, shone
- Past Participle: shone
Word family
Forms
shines
verb
shining
verb
shined
verb
shone
verb
Core family
shiny
adjective A2
Related words
sunshine
noun A2
Advanced or less common
shininess
noun
Highlights
- Irregular past participle: shone Verb
Expressions
shine a light on
1/ʃˈaɪn ə lˈaɪt ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
make something clear or visible
To make a problem, fact, or situation easier to see or understand, often by giving new information about it.
Examples
- The report shines a light on problems in the healthcare system.
- Her research helped shine a light on how social media affects teenagers.
shine out
1/ʃˈaɪn ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
stand out clearly or brightly
To be very easy to see or notice, especially because something is very bright or very good.
Examples
- One star shone out more brightly than all the others.
- Among all the candidates, her experience really shone out.
shine through
1/ʃˈaɪn θɹˈu/
phrasal verb
be clearly seen or felt
To be clearly seen, felt, or noticed, even when other things are happening around it.
Examples
- Her love for the children really shines through in her work.
- Despite his nervousness, his talent shone through during the performance.
shine up to
1/ʃˈaɪn ˈʌp tə/
phrasal verb
informal
flatter someone to gain favor
To be very nice and friendly to someone because you want something from them, not just because you like them.
Examples
- He’s always shining up to the boss before performance reviews.
- She started shining up to the new manager right away.
take a shine to
1/tˈeɪk ə ʃˈaɪn tə/
idiom
informal
suddenly start liking someone
To quickly begin to like someone or something a lot.
Examples
- Their baby has really taken a shine to you.
- The manager seems to have taken a shine to our new colleague.
come rain or shine
1/kˈʌm ɹˈeɪn ˈɔɹ ʃˈaɪn/
idiom
No matter what happens
No matter what happens, in any situation.
Examples
- She goes jogging every morning, come rain or shine.
- She walks her dog every morning, come rain or shine.
- The event will be held come rain or shine.
- The market is open every Saturday, come rain or shine.
rise and shine
1/ɹˈaɪz ˈænd ʃˈaɪn/
idiom
informal
Wake up and get moving happily
Used to tell someone to wake up and start their day with energy.
Examples
- Come on, kids, rise and shine! We have a busy day ahead.
- Come on, kids, rise and shine! It’s time for school.
- Rise and shine! It's time for school.
- Rise and shine, we have a busy day ahead.