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fade definition

fade (fād)

intransitive verb faded fad′ed, fading fad′·ing

  1. to become less distinct; lose color, brilliance, etc.
  2. to lose freshness or strength; wither; wane
  3. to disappear slowly; die out
  4. to lose braking power: said of brakes that heat and glaze the lining in repeated hard use
  5. to curve from its direct course
  6. Radio, TV to vary in intensity: said of a signal

Etymology: ME faden < OFr fader < fade, pale < VL *fatidus, prob. < L fatuus (see fatuous); infl. by vapidus, vapid

transitive verb

  1. to cause to fade
  2. Slang to meet the bet of; cover: a dice player's term
  3. Golf to deliberately cause (a ball) to slice slightly

noun

  1. the act of fading
  2. Film, Radio, TV a fade-in or fade-out
  3. Golf the path of a ball that is faded or that slices slightly
fade Idioms

fade back

Football to move back from the line of scrimmage, as in order to throw a forward pass

fade in (or out)

Film, Radio, TV to appear or cause to appear (or disappear) gradually; make or become more (or less) distinct

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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