shadow (redirected from shadows)

*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: oneself

afraid of one's own shadow

Fig. easily frightened; always frightened, timid, or suspicious. (An exaggeration.) After Tom was robbed, he was even afraid of his own shadow.

See also: afraid

Coming events cast their shadows before.

Prov. Significant events are often preceded by signs that they are about to happen. (From Thomas Campbell's poem, "Lochiel's Warning.") If you pay attention to the news, you can generally tell when something momentous is about to happen. Coming events cast their shadows before.

See also: before, cast, coming, event

without a shadow of a doubt and beyond the shadow of a doubt

without the smallest amount of doubt. I am certain that I am right, without a shadow of a doubt. I felt the man was guilty beyond the shadow of a doubt.

See also: doubt, without

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a shadow of your former self

if you are a shadow of your former self, you are less strong or less powerful than you were in the past He came back to work after 3 months, completely cured of the cancer but a shadow of his former self.

See also: former

be afraid of your own shadow

to be extremely nervous and easily frightened She's always having panic attacks, she's the kind of person who's afraid of her own shadow.

See also: afraid

beyond/without a shadow of a doubt

if something is true beyond a shadow of a doubt, there is no doubt that it is true This is without a shadow of a doubt the best film I have seen all year.

See also: beyond, doubt

in somebody's shadow

if you are in someone's shadow, you receive less attention and seem less important than them For most of his life he lived in the shadow of his more famous brother.

in/under something's shadow

if you are in the shadow of an unpleasant event, you cannot forget that it has happened or might happen in the future The local population were living under the shadow of war.

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a shadow of your/its former self

a smaller, weaker, or less important form of someone or something With most of its best players traded away, the team was reduced to a shadow of its former self.

See also: former

beyond the shadow of a doubt also without a shadow of a doubt

so that it is obviously true Letters in her father's own handwriting would prove his guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt.

See also: beyond, doubt

in the shadow of somebody

receiving little attention because someone else is better known or more skillful Tom was a good lawyer, but he was always in the shadow of his famous father.

Usage notes: often used after live: Living in the shadow of a glamorous sister, Hilda was quiet and shy.

in the shadow of something

1. near something Her house is located in the shadow of the state capitol.

2. influenced by something bad that has happened or could happen The children of the survivors lived their lives in the shadow of the Holocaust. The organization is trying to protect civil rights in the shadow of terrorism.