SHADOW

shadow (countable and uncountable, plural shadows)

A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object. quotations ▼

My shadow lengthened as the sun began to set.

The X-ray showed a shadow on his lung.

Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom; obscurity. quotations ▼

I immediately jumped into shadow as I saw them approach.

The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems and cast a "shadow" of dryness behind them.

I lived in her shadow my whole life.

He did not give even a shadow of respect to the professor.

I don't have a shadow of doubt in my mind that my plan will succeed.

He came back from war the shadow of a man.

The neopagan ritual was only a pale shadow of the ones the Greeks held thousands of years ago.

The constable was promoted to working as a shadow for the Royals.

An inseparable companion.
(typography) A drop shadow effect applied to lettering in word processors etc.
An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one. quotations ▼
A spirit; a ghost; a shade. quotations ▼
(obsolete, Latinism) An uninvited guest accompanying one who was invited. synonym ▲quotations ▼Synonym: umbra
(Jungian psychology) An unconscious aspect of the personality. quotations ▼

A person (or object) is said to "cast", "have", or "throw" a shadow if that shadow is caused by the person (either literally, by eclipsing a light source, or figuratively). The shadow may then be described as the shadow "cast" or "thrown" by the person, or as the shadow "of" the person, or simply as the person's shadow.