fade

[feyd] /feɪd/
verb (used without object), faded, fading.
1.
to lose brightness or vividness of color.
2.
to become dim, as light, or lose brightness of illumination.
3.
to lose freshness, vigor, strength, or health:
The tulips have faded.
4.
to disappear or die gradually (often followed by away or out):
His anger faded away.
5.
Movies, Television.
  1. to appear gradually, especially by becoming lighter (usually followed by in).
  2. to disappear gradually, especially by becoming darker (usually followed by out).
6.
Broadcasting, Recording.
  1. to increase gradually in volume of sound, as in recording or broadcasting music, dialogue, etc. (usually followed by in).
  2. to decrease gradually in volume of sound (usually followed by out).
7.
Football. (of an offensive back, especially a quarterback) to move back toward one's own goal line, usually with the intent to pass, after receiving the snapback from center or a hand-off or lateral pass behind the line of scrimmage (usually followed by back):
The quarterback was tackled while fading back for a pass.
8.
(of an automotive brake) to undergo brake fade.
verb (used with object), faded, fading.
9.
to cause to fade:
Sunshine faded the drapes.
10.
(in dice throwing) to make a wager against (the caster).
11.
Movies, Television.
  1. to cause (a scene) to appear gradually (usually followed by in).
  2. to cause (a scene) to disappear gradually (usually followed by out).
12.
Broadcasting, Recording. to cause (the volume of sound) to increase or decrease gradually (usually followed by in or out).
noun
13.
an act or instance of fading.
14.
Movies, Television Informal. a fade-out.
15.
Automotive. brake fade.
Origin
1275-1325; 1915-20 for def 5; Middle English faden, derivative of fade pale, dull < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *fatidus, for Latin fatuus fatuous
Related forms
fadable, adjective
fadedly, adverb
fadedness, noun
prefade, verb (used with object), prefaded, prefading.
unfadable, adjective
unfaded, adjective
unfading, adjective
well-faded, adjective
Synonyms
4. See disappear.
Examples from the web for fade
  • To my delight, the color didn't fade with cooking, though it did take on a maroon tinge.
  • More importantly, the color saturation and tonal range manage not to fade at higher speeds.
  • Leaves often start out infused with red or purple, fade to green in summer, then color up again in fall.
  • The high-quality, full color logo won't fade or rub off.
  • But wait-it might be time to take a deep breath to let the excitement of the sales pitch fade.
  • Th island seem to fade into the sharpness of the sky.
  • Your birthday's come again, with you away, except in memories that will never fade.
  • Over time, the headwinds of consumers paying down debt will fade.
  • When our sun comes to its ending in five billion years or so, it will fade into a quiescent white dwarf.
  • As they mature, the petals slowly fade to soft pink.
British Dictionary definitions for fade

fade

/feɪd/
verb
1.
to lose or cause to lose brightness, colour, or clarity
2.
(intransitive) to lose freshness, vigour, or youth; wither
3.
(intransitive; usually foll by away or out) to vanish slowly; die out
4.
  1. to decrease the brightness or volume of (a television or radio programme or film sequence) or (of a television programme, etc) to decrease in this way
  2. to decrease the volume of (a sound) in a recording system or (of a sound) to be so reduced in volume
5.
(intransitive) (of the brakes of a vehicle) to lose power
6.
to cause (a golf ball) to move with a controlled left-to-right trajectory or (of a golf ball) to veer gradually from left to right
noun
7.
the act or an instance of fading
Derived Forms
fadable, adjective
fadedness, noun
fader, noun
Word Origin
C14: from fade (adj) dull, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin fatidus (unattested), probably blend of Latin vapidusvapid + Latin fatuusfatuous
Word Origin and History for fade
v.

early 14c., "lose brightness, grow pale," from Old French fader "become weak, wilt, wither," from adj. fade "pale, weak, insipid" (12c.), probably from Vulgar Latin *fatidus, some sort of blending of Latin fatuus "silly, tasteless" + vapidus "flat, flavorless." Related: Faded; fading. As a noun, from c.1300.

Slang definitions & phrases for fade

fade

noun
  1. A white person (1970s+ Black)
  2. A black person who prefers white friends, sex partners, attitudes, etc; oreo (1970s+ Black)
  3. A hairstyle with a thick upright flat top that tapers toward the ears: Will has a fresh fade (1980s+ Black teenagers)
verb
  1. To leave; depart: He faded to Chicago (1848+)
  2. To take one's bet; cover one's offered bet: When I saw I was faded, I rolled the dice (1890+ Crapshooting)
  3. To lose or cause to lose power and effectiveness: And I would try to fade the heat off me (1450+)