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fade

(fād)

v. fad·ed, fad·ing, fades

v.intr.

1. To lose brightness, loudness, or brilliance gradually: The lights and music faded as we set sail from the harbor.

2. To lose freshness; wither: summer flowers that had faded.

3. To lose strength or vitality; wane: youthful energy that had faded over the years.

4. To disappear gradually; vanish: a hope that faded. See Synonyms at disappear.

5. Sports To swerve from a straight course, especially in the direction of a slice.

6. Football To move back from the line of scrimmage. Used of a quarterback.

v.tr.

1. To cause to lose brightness, freshness, or strength: Exposure to sunlight has faded the carpet.

2. Sports To hit (a golf ball, for instance) with a moderate, usually controlled slice.

3. Games To meet the bet of (an opposing player) in dice.

1. The act of fading.

2. A gradual dimming or increase in the brightness or loudness of a light source or audio signal.

3. A transition in a cinematic work or slide presentation in which the image gradually appears on or disappears from a blank screen.

4. Sports A moderate, usually controlled slice, as in golf.

5. A control mechanism on a stereo that adjusts the distribution of power between the front and rear channels.

6. A style of haircut in which the hair is cut close to the sides and back of the head and trimmed to result in gradually longer lengths toward the top of the head.

Phrasal Verbs:

fade in

To appear or cause to appear gradually from silence or darkness, especially as a transition in a cinematic work, audio recording, or performance.

fade out

To diminish gradually to silence or darkness, especially as a transition in a cinematic work, audio recording, or performance.

[Middle English faden, from Old French fader, from fade, faded, probably from Vulgar Latin *fatidus, alteration of Latin fatuus, insipid.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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