shine / shīn/ • v. (past shone / shōn/ or shined) 1. [intr.] (of the sun or another source of light) give out a bright light: the sun shone through the window. ∎  glow or be bright with reflected light: I could see his eyes shining in the light of the fire. ∎  [tr.] direct (a flashlight or other light) somewhere in order to see something in the dark: an usher shines his flashlight into the boys' faces. ∎  (of something with a smooth surface) reflect light because clean or polished: my shoes were polished until they shone like glass. ∎  (of a person's eyes) be bright with the expression of a particular emotion: his eyes shone with excitement. ∎  [often as adj.] (shining) fig. be brilliant or excellent at something: he has set a shining example with his model behavior she shines at comedy. ∎  (shine through) fig. (of a quality or skill) be clearly evident: at Regis his talent shone through.2. (past shined) [tr.] make (an object made of leather, metal, or wood) bright by rubbing it; polish: his shoes were shined to perfection.• n. [in sing.] a quality of brightness, esp. through reflecting light: a shine of saliva on his chin. ∎  a high polish or sheen; a luster: use shoe polish to try and get a shine my hair has lost its shine. ∎  an act of rubbing something to give it a shiny surface: Tom’s shoes got a quick shine from a boy with a buffing cloth. ∎  offens. a contemptuous term for a black or dark-skinned person.PHRASES: take the shine off spoil the brilliance or excitement of: the absence of new jobs has taken some of the shine off his stellar popularity ratings.take a shine to inf. develop a liking for.DERIVATIVES: shin·ing·ly / -ninglē/ adv.