The difference between Ghost and Shadow

When used as nouns, ghost means the spirit, whereas shadow means a dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.

When used as verbs, ghost means to haunt, whereas shadow means to shade, cloud or darken.


Shadow is also adjective with the meaning: unofficial, informal, unauthorized, but acting as though it were.

check bellow for the other definitions of Ghost and Shadow

  1. Ghost as a noun (dated):

    The spirit; the soul of man.

  2. Ghost as a noun:

    The disembodied soul; the soul or spirit of a deceased person; a spirit appearing after death

    Examples:

    "Everyone believed that the ghost of an old lady haunted the crypt."

  3. Ghost as a noun:

    Any faint shadowy semblance; an unsubstantial image

    Examples:

    "not a ghost of a chance; the ghost of an idea"

  4. Ghost as a noun:

    A false image formed in a telescope, camera, or other optical device by reflection from the surfaces of one or more lenses.

  5. Ghost as a noun:

    An unwanted image similar to and overlapping or adjacent to the main one on a television screen, caused by the transmitted image being received both directly and via reflection.

  6. Ghost as a noun:

    A ghostwriter.

  7. Ghost as a noun (Internet):

    An unresponsive user on IRC, resulting from the user's client disconnecting without notifying the server.

  8. Ghost as a noun (computing):

    An image of a file or hard disk.

  9. Ghost as a noun (theatre):

    An understudy.

  10. Ghost as a noun (espionage):

    A covert (and deniable) agent.

  11. Ghost as a noun:

    The faint image that remains after an attempt to remove graffiti.

  12. Ghost as a noun (video games):

    An opponent in a racing game that follows a previously recorded route, allowing players to compete against previous best times.

  13. Ghost as a noun:

    A dead person whose identity is stolen by another. See .

  14. Ghost as a noun (attributive, in names of species):

    White or .

    Examples:

    "[[ghost slug]]; [[ghostberry]]; [[ghostflower]]; [[ghost crab]]; [[ghost bat]]"

  15. Ghost as a noun (attributive, in names of species):

    Transparent or .

    Examples:

    "[[ghost ant]]; [[ghost catfish]]; [[ghost nipper]]; [[ghost nudibranch]]"

  16. Ghost as a noun (attributive):

    Abandoned.

    Examples:

    "[[ghost town]]; [[ghost net]]; [[ghost ramp]]; [[ghost ship]]"

  17. Ghost as a noun (attributive):

    The of.

    Examples:

    "[[ghost cell]]; [[ghost crater]]; [[ghost image]]"

  18. Ghost as a noun (attributive):

    Perceived or listed but not .

    Examples:

    "[[ghost pain]]; [[ghost cellphone vibration]]; [[ghost island]]; [[ghost voter]]"

  19. Ghost as a noun (attributive):

    Of , or nature.

    Examples:

    "[[ghost rocket]]; [[ghost deer]]; [[ghost cat]]"

  20. Ghost as a noun (attributive):

    Substitute.

    Examples:

    "[[ghost writer]]; ghost band; ghost singer"

  1. Ghost as a verb (obsolete, transitive):

    To haunt; to appear to in the form of an apparition.

  2. Ghost as a verb (obsolete):

    To die; to expire.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Sir Philip Sidney"

  3. Ghost as a verb (ambitransitive):

    To ghostwrite.

  4. Ghost as a verb (nautical):

    To sail seemingly without wind.

  5. Ghost as a verb (computing):

    To copy a file or hard drive image.

  6. Ghost as a verb (GUI):

    To gray out (a visual item) to indicate that it is unavailable.

  7. Ghost as a verb (internet, transitive):

    To forcibly disconnect an IRC user who is using one's reserved nickname.

  8. Ghost as a verb:

    To appear without warning; to move quickly and quietly; to slip.

  9. Ghost as a verb:

    To kill.

  10. Ghost as a verb (slang):

    To break up with someone without warning or explanation; to perform an act of .

  1. Shadow as a noun:

    A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.

    Examples:

    "My shadow lengthened as the sun began to set."

    "The X-ray showed a shadow on his lung."

  2. Shadow as a noun:

    Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom, obscurity.

    Examples:

    "I immediately jumped into shadow as I saw them approach."

  3. Shadow as a noun:

    A area protected by an obstacle (likened to an object blocking out sunlight).

    Examples:

    "The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems and cast a "shadow" of dryness behind them."

  4. Shadow as a noun (obsolete):

    A reflected image, as in a mirror or in water.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Shakespeare"

  5. Shadow as a noun:

    That which looms as though a shadow.

    Examples:

    "I don't have a shadow of doubt in my mind that my plan will succeed. The shadow of fear of my being outed always affects how I live my life. I lived in her shadow my whole life."

  6. Shadow as a noun:

    A small degree; a shade.

    Examples:

    "He did not give even a shadow of respect to the professor."

  7. Shadow as a noun:

    An imperfect and faint representation.

    Examples:

    "He came back from war the shadow of a man."

    "the neopagan ritual was only a pale shadow of the ones the Greeks held thousands of years ago"

  8. Shadow as a noun (UK, police):

    A trainee, assigned to work with an experienced officer.

  9. Shadow as a noun:

    One who secretly or furtively follows another.

    Examples:

    "The constable was promoted to working as a shadow for the Royals."

  10. Shadow as a noun (typography):

    A drop shadow effect applied to lettering in word processors etc.

  11. Shadow as a noun:

    An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one.

  12. Shadow as a noun:

    A spirit; a ghost; a shade.

  13. Shadow as a noun (obsolete, [[Latinism]]):

    An uninvited guest accompanying one who was invited.

    Examples:

    "synonyms umbra"

    "rfquotek Nares"

  14. Shadow as a noun (psychology):

    In Jungian psychology, an unconscious aspect of the personality.

  1. Shadow as a verb (transitive):

    To shade, cloud or darken.

    Examples:

    "The artist chose to shadow this corner of the painting."

  2. Shadow as a verb (transitive):

    To block light or radio transmission from.

    Examples:

    "Looks like that cloud's going to shadow us."

  3. Shadow as a verb (espionage):

    To secretly or discreetly track or follow another, to keep under surveillance.

  4. Shadow as a verb:

    To accompany a professional during the working day, so as to learn about an occupation one intends to take up.

  5. Shadow as a verb (programming):

    To make an identifier, usually a variable, inaccessible by declaring another of the same name within the scope of the first.

  6. Shadow as a verb (computing):

    To apply the shadowing process to (the contents of ROM).

  1. Shadow as an adjective:

    Unofficial, informal, unauthorized, but acting as though it were.

    Examples:

    "The human resources department has a shadow information technology group without headquarters knowledge."

  2. Shadow as an adjective:

    Having power or influence, but not widely known or recognized.

    Examples:

    "The director has been giving shadow leadership to the other group's project to ensure its success."

    "The illuminati shadow group has been pulling strings from behind the scenes."

  3. Shadow as an adjective (politics):

    Acting in a leadership role before being formally recognized.

    Examples:

    "The shadow cabinet cannot agree on the terms of the agreement due immediately after they are sworn in."

    "The insurgents’ shadow government is being crippled by the federal military strikes."

  4. Shadow as an adjective (AU, politics):

    Part of, or related to, the opposition in government.