ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shines

v.
A1 Beginner US //ˈʃaɪnz// UK //ʃˈaɪnz// shines

v. to give off light or reflect it so that something looks bright. You use this to describe the sun, a lamp, or even a very clean surface.

v. to emit or reflect light; to be bright by reflection of light. Intransitive in this sense, though it can take a cognate object in literary contexts.


SIMPLE

The sun shines brightly today.

CONTEXTUAL

The lighthouse beam shines across the dark water every ten seconds to warn approaching ships.

COMPLEX

While the moon merely reflects the sun's rays, it shines with enough intensity to cast distinct shadows across the landscape during a clear night.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

Pitfall

The sun has shined all dayThe sun has shone all dayWhile 'shined' is used for polishing objects, 'shone' is the standard past participle for emitting light.

Idioms1 entry

© 2026 English Reference