shining

[ˈʃaɪnɪŋ]

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Shining refers to light that's bright and clear, like sunshine.

When we say something or someone is shining, it usually means they're producing a strong and steady light. For example, if a star shines brightly in the night sky, it's because of its own natural glow. When we describe a smile as shining, we mean that it's full of joy and happiness. If you shine at a task, it means you do it very well, often with ease.

How common is "shining"?

Word shining is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

verb

To emit light.
To reflect light.
To distinguish oneself; to excel.
Example: My nephew tried other sports before deciding on football, which he shone at right away, quickly becoming the star of his school team.
To be effulgent in splendour or beauty.
To be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished; to exhibit brilliant intellectual powers.
To be immediately apparent.
To create light with (a flashlight, lamp, torch, or similar).
Example: I shone my light into the darkness to see what was making the noise.
To cause to shine, as a light.
To make bright; to cause to shine by reflected light.
Example: in hunting, to shine the eyes of a deer at night by throwing a light on them

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verb

To cause (something) to shine; put a shine on (something); polish (something).
Example: He shined my shoes until they were polished smooth and gleaming.
To polish a cricket ball using saliva and one’s clothing.

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