shadow of oneself

a shadow of (oneself)

A person, group, place, etc., that has become dramatically less healthy, vivacious, or robust, often following some traumatic event or negative circumstances. Tom's been nothing but a shadow of himself since that accident, his bubbly, outgoing persona replaced by gloom and seriousness. The mass emigration of workers from the town during the recession has left it a shadow of itself. I felt like the cancer treatment made me into a shadow of myself, sickly and exhausted.

See also: of, shadow

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

*shadow of oneself

 and *a shadow of itself; *a shadow of one's former self

Fig. someone or something that is not as strong, healthy, full, or lively as before. (*Typically: be ~; become ~.) The sick man was a shadow of his former self. The abandoned mansion was merely a shadow of its old self.

See also: of, shadow

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.