shady

Everyday

1. A shady place is out of the sun, cool and partly dark, because trees or buildings block the light. tree →
2. A shady tree or plant gives shade. tree →
3. Informally, shady means dishonest or suspicious: a shady deal, a shady character. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday life and safety: on hot sunny days, sit in a shady spot to avoid sunburn and heatstroke (very important in Australia and the southern USA). In science, shady places are cooler and some plants (ferns, moss) grow best there. In stories, «shady» can warn the reader that a character cannot be trusted. Phrases: a shady spot, a shady tree, shady side of the street, shady business.

Examples

• Let's eat our lunch in a shady spot under the tree. tree →
• Ferns grow well in shady corners of the garden. tree →
• The shady side of the street was much cooler. tree →
• Our dog lay in a shady patch by the fence. tree →
• The man selling cheap watches looked shady. tree →
• Plant the lettuce somewhere shady in summer. tree →
• A big oak makes the playground shady. tree →
• Then Mowgli picked out a shady place, and lay down and slept while the buffaloes grazed round him. tree →

Note

Adjective: shadier, shadiest. From the noun «shade». «Shady» (out of the sun) is different from «shadowy» (dark, full of shadows, mysterious). Safety: shade lowers sunburn risk but you still need sunscreen, because light bounces off sand and water.