What do the word shallow mean

What does the word shallow mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language as well as Collins English Dictionary and American Heritage, the word shallow is an adjective meaning having little depth, or having little spatial extension inward or backward. This can be used literally to talk about physical depth in water or shallow breathing, but can also  be used figuratively to describe a person or thing that lacks in depth of intellect, thought, knowledge or feeling, or that which penetrates only the easily perceived. The pronunciation of shallow is . The suffixes er and est can be added to the end of the word to create the superlatives shallower and shallowest, and ly can be added to make shallowly (adv.). Different suffixed can be added to create other tenses beside the present tense, like the present participle. Shallow is also a popular song from the film A Star is Born sung by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. It has been sung by many women’s voices throughout the years, and was nominated for an Oscar.

Many different languages also contain words that mean shallow (adj.). You may notice that some of these words look and sound similar to the word shallow and to each other. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that look and sound similar and also mean similar things. These are often formed when two words have the same root or language of origin. This list of translations of shallow is provided by Word Sense.

  •  Mandarin: 淺‎, 浅‎ (qiǎn)
  •  Scottish Gaelic: eu-domhainn‎
  •  Armenian: ծանծաղ‎
  •  Catalan: pla‎, poc profund‎, superficial‎
  •  Georgian: მარჩხობი‎, წყალმარჩხი‎
  •  Latvian: sekls‎
  •  German: seicht‎, flach‎
  •  Ukrainian: мілкий‎ (milkýj), неглибокий‎ (nehlybókyj)
  •  Macedonian: плиток‎ (plítok)
  •  Arabic: ضَحِل‎
  •  Danish: flad‎, lav‎
  •  Interlingua: pauco profunde‎
  •  French: peu profond‎
  •  Polish: płytki‎
  •  Swedish: ytlig‎ (common)
  •  Italian: superficiale‎
  •  Esperanto: malprofunda‎
  •  Basque: azaleko‎
  •  Hungarian: lapos‎, sekély‎
  •  Occitan: superficial‎
  •  Russian: ме́лкий‎, неглубо́кий‎
  •  Lithuanian: seklus‎
  •  Japanese: 浅い‎ (あさい, asai)
  •  Nynorsk: flat‎, lav‎, grunn‎
  •  Latgalian: seklys‎
  •  Romanian: plat‎, puțin adânc‎
  •  Slovak: plytký‎
  •  Persian: کم عمق‎ (kam-omq), تنک‎ (tonok), تخت‎ (taxt)
  •  Bokmål: flat‎, lav‎, grunn‎
  •  Bashkir: һай‎
  •  Finnish: matala‎, laakea‎
  •  Greek: ρηχός‎
  •  Czech: mělký‎
  •  Portuguese: raso‎, superficial‎
  •  Spanish: poco profundo‎ (masc.), superficial‎

What is the origin of the word shallow?

According to Etymonline, the word shallow has been used since 14c Middle English as schalowe to mean not deep. This is related to the Old English sceald which gives us the related word shoal. This has been used with regard to breathing since the 1870s, and of thought or feelings since the 1580s. The noun, usually written as shallows, has been used since the 1570s.

How can the word shallow be used in a sentence?

The word shallow can be used in many different sentences in the English language. Using words in a sentence or making flashcards and quizzes for yourself are all great ways to memorize a word’s definition. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today! Below are many examples of shallow.

The children played in the shallow end of the pool for safety. The swimming pool had part of a playing area and the stretch of shallow water was near the seating area, unlike the deep end, so parents could keep an eye on the children.

Jackson hit the baseball into the shallow left field, and it wasn’t enough to let him return back to home plate before he was outed.

The woman filled the shallow pan with onions, and made penetration with shallow cuts on the outer surface of the potatoes. She rubbed the chicken with a spice mixture and placed the shallow dish into the oven to cook.

The man took shallow breaths, only taking in a small amount of air with each inhalation. He was in shock after his attempted robbery, and had night after night of shallow fretful sleep after the incident.

The woman grew tired of much conversation. She felt most people she interacted with were shallow people who only cared about appearances.

Maria shoved her clothes into the shallow closet. She couldn’t wait to start renovations and receive a great spatial extension to her wardrobe.

The friends decided to wade in the shallow beachhead. Their friend ventured into the deep body of water, but quickly scurried back to the shallow portion when he felt something slimy touch his leg.

What are synonyms and antonyms of the word shallow?

There are many different words that a person can use in place of the word shallow. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as another word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to expand your vocabulary and avoid repeating yourself. This list of synonyms is provided by Thesaurus.

  •  flimsy
  •  shoal
  •  puerile
  •  uncritical
  •  flat
  •  trifling
  •  lightweight
  •  cursory
  •  piddling
  •  meaningless
  •  frivolous
  •  inane
  •  sand bar
  •  farcical
  •  empty
  •  surface
  •  vain
  •  paltry
  •  wishy-washy
  •  trivial
  •  slight
  •  skin-deep
  •  petty
  •  flighty
  •  idle
  •  superficial
  •  empty-headed
  •  frothy
  •  shelf
  •  foolish
  •  inconsiderable
  •  featherbrained
  •  unsound
  •  simple
  •  half-baked
  •  sketchy
  •  hollow
  •  unthinking
  •  depthless

There are also numerous different words that mean the opposite of the word shallow. These opposite words are called antonyms. Learning antonyms is another great way to expand your English language vocabulary. This list of antonyms for the word shallow is also provided by Thesaurus.

  •  buried
  •  subterranean
  •  immersed
  •  low
  •  unfathomable
  •  abyssal
  •  distant
  •  inmost
  •  wide
  •  underground
  •  broad
  •  fathomless
  •  downreaching
  •  bottomless
  •  beneath
  •  deep
  •  submerged
  •  yawning
  •  subaqueous
  •  abysmal
  •  sunk
  •  deep-seated
  •  below
  •  profound
  •  submarine
  •  far
  •  rooted

Overall, the word shallow means not deep. This word can be used literally and figuratively.

Sources:

  1. shallow: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  2. SHALLOW Synonyms: 70 Synonyms & Antonyms for SHALLOW | Thesaurus 
  3. DEEP Synonyms: 214 Synonyms & Antonyms for DEEP | Thesaurus  
  4. shallow | Origin and meaning of shallow | Online Etymology Dictionary  
  5. Shallow | Definition of Shallow | Merriam-Webster 

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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do’s and don’ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

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See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘shallow.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

  • 1
    shallow

    shallow [ˊʃæləυ]

    1) ме́лкий;

    2) пове́рхностный, пусто́й;

    2.

    n

    ме́лкое ме́сто, мель; о́тмель

    1) меле́ть

    2) уменьша́ть глубину́

    Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > shallow

  • 2
    shallow

    shallow descent

    пологое снижение

    shallow dive

    пологое пикирование

    shallow fog

    низкий туман

    English-Russian aviation dictionary > shallow

  • 3
    shallow

    shallow
    n

    Англо-русский строительный словарь.
    .
    2011.

    Англо-русский словарь строительных терминов > shallow

  • 4
    shallow

    Персональный Сократ > shallow

  • 5
    shallow

    1. n часто pl мелкое место, мелководье, мель; отмель

    2. a мелкий, мелководный; неглубокий

    3. a поверхностный, ограниченный; пустой

    4. v мелеть

    5. v уменьшать глубину

    shallow gas — газ, поступающий с небольших глубин

    Синонимический ряд:

    1. having little depth (adj.) fordable; having little depth; lacking depth; non-navigable; not deep enough; slight; surface; wading

    2. superficial (adj.) cursory; depthless; one-dimensional; shoal; sketchy; skin-deep; superficial; uncritical

    3. trite (adj.) frivolous; inconsequential; insignificant; insubstantial; not profound; silly; trifling; trite; trivial; unintelligent

    Антонимический ряд:

    English-Russian base dictionary > shallow

  • 6
    shallow

    1. [ʹʃæləʋ]

    часто pl

    мелкое место, мелководье, мель; отмель

    2. [ʹʃæləʋ]

    1. мелкий, мелководный; неглубокий

    2. поверхностный, ограниченный; пустой

    shallow analysis [mind] — поверхностный /неглубокий/ анализ [ум]

    shallow thought — мелкая /пошлая/ мысль

    shallow person — ограниченный /пустой/ человек

    shallow argument — а) необоснованный довод; б) мелкий спор

    she is too shallow to be touched by this — она слишком легкомысленна, чтобы её это задело /тронуло, взволновало/

    where the water is shallow, no vessel will ride — где мелкая вода, никакое судно не пройдёт; ≅ по мелководью и утка не поплывёт

    shallow streams /waters/ make most din — мелкие ручейки звонко шумят; ≅ пустая бочка пуще гремит

    3. [ʹʃæləʋ]

    1. мелеть

    2. уменьшать глубину

    НБАРС > shallow

  • 7
    shallow

    [‘ʃæləʊ]

    adj

    1) мелкий, мелководный, неглубокий

    The pan is too shallow to bake bread in. — Сковорода слишком мелка для того, чтобы в ней печь хлеб.

    The river was shallow enough for the children to bathe. — Река достаточно мелкая и дети могут купаться.

    shallow stream


    — shallow sea
    — shallow river
    — shallow lake
    — shallow pond
    — shallow pan
    — shallow breathing
    — shallow roots of a tree

    2) поверхностный, ограниченный

    shallow mind


    — shallow person
    — shallow analysis
    — shallow explanation
    — shallow play

    English-Russian combinatory dictionary > shallow

  • 8
    shallow

    ˈʃæləu
    1. прил.
    1) а) мелкий, мелководный shallow stream ≈ мелкий ручей shallow sea ≈ мелководное море shallow draft б) неглубокий;
    плоский shallow pan ≈ неглубокая сковорода shallow roots of a tree ≈ неглубокие корни shallow breathing ≈ неглубокое дыхание Syn: flat ∙ Ant: deep, profound
    2) перен. а) ограниченный, поверхностный, пустой shallow play ≈несерьезная, неглубокая пьеса shallow explanation ≈ поверхностное объяснение Syn: superficial, obvious Ant: profound б) некрепкий, не верный Theirs is only a shallow friendship. ≈У них некрепкая дружба.
    3) геол. аллювиальный, наносный
    2. сущ.;
    часто мн. мелкое место, мель;
    отмель Alligators live in the shallows. ≈ Аллигаторы водятся на мелководье.
    3. гл.
    1) мелеть
    2) а) уменьшать глубину;
    делать более плоским б) перен. упрощать;
    делать поверхностным, неглубоким
    часто pl мелкое место, мелководье, мель;
    отмель — the * of the river брод мелкий, мелководный;
    неглубокий — * stream мелкий ручей — * sea мелководное море — * tray плоский поднос — * hole неглубокая яма — * steps пологие ступени — * lens плоская линза поверхностный, ограниченный;
    пустой — * analysis поверхностный /неглубокий/ анализ — * thought мелкая /пошлая/ мысль — * person ограниченный /пустой/ человек — * generalizations непродуманные обобщения — * policy недальновидная политика — * argument необоснованный довод;
    мелкий спор — she is too * to be touched by this она слишком легкомысленна, чтобы ее это задело /тронуло, взволновало/ > where the water is *, no vessel will ride где мелкая вода, никакое судно не пройдет;
    по мелководью и утка не поплывет > * streams /waters/ make most din (пословица) мелкие ручейки звонко шумят;
    пустая бочка пуще гремит мелеть уменьшать глубину
    shallow мелеть ~ мелкий;
    shallow draft мор. небольшая осадка ~ мелкий ~ мелкое место, мель;
    отмель ~ поверхностный, пустой;
    shallow mind поверхностный, неглубокий ум ~ уменьшать глубину
    ~ мелкий;
    shallow draft мор. небольшая осадка
    ~ поверхностный, пустой;
    shallow mind поверхностный, неглубокий ум

    Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > shallow

  • 9
    shallow

    [ˈʃæləu]

    shallow мелеть shallow мелкий; shallow draft мор. небольшая осадка shallow мелкий shallow мелкое место, мель; отмель shallow поверхностный, пустой; shallow mind поверхностный, неглубокий ум shallow уменьшать глубину shallow мелкий; shallow draft мор. небольшая осадка shallow поверхностный, пустой; shallow mind поверхностный, неглубокий ум

    English-Russian short dictionary > shallow

  • 10
    shallow

    мелкий
    имя прилагательное:

    имя существительное:

    мель (shallow, shoal, shelf)

    глагол:

    Англо-русский синонимический словарь > shallow

  • 11
    shallow

    [‘ʃæləu]
    1.

    прил.

    1)

    а) мелкий, мелководный

    Syn:

    Ant:

    2)

    а) поверхностный, пустой

    Syn:

    Ant:

    б) некрепкий, неверный

    Theirs is only a shallow friendship. — У них некрепкая дружба.

    3)

    геол.

    аллювиальный, наносный

    2.

    ; обычно

    мн.

    мелкое место, мель; отмель

    Alligators live in the shallows. — Аллигаторы водятся на мелководье.

    3.

    гл.

    2)

    б) упрощать; делать поверхностным, неглубоким

    Англо-русский современный словарь > shallow

  • 12
    shallow

    Англо-русский словарь по машиностроению > shallow

  • 13
    shallow

    Англо-русский технический словарь > shallow

  • 14
    shallow

    English-Russian big polytechnic dictionary > shallow

  • 15
    shallow

    English-Russian big medical dictionary > shallow

  • 16
    shallow

    The English-Russian dictionary general scientific > shallow

  • 17
    shallow

    a

    поверхностный; неглубокий

    English-russian dctionary of diplomacy > shallow

  • 18
    shallow

    [‘ʃælou]

    2) поверхностный, неглубокий

    мель, отмель

    2000 самых употребительных английских слов > shallow

  • 19
    shallow

    1) мелкий; shallow draft

    naut.

    небольшая осадка

    2) поверхностный, пустой; shallow mind поверхностный, неглубокий ум

    Syn:

    superficial

    мелкое место, мель; отмель

    1) мелеть

    2) уменьшать глубину

    * * *

    (a) мелкий; неглубокий

    * * *

    мелкий, неглубокий

    * * *

    [shal·low || ‘ʃæləʊ]
    мелкий, мелководный, маловодный, пустой, поверхностный

    * * *

    мелеть

    мелкий

    мельчайший

    * * *

    1. прил.
    1) а) мелкий
    б) неглубокий
    2) перен.
    а) ограниченный
    б) некрепкий, не верный
    3) геол. аллювиальный
    2. сущ.; часто мн.
    мелкое место
    3. гл.
    1) мелеть
    2) а) уменьшать глубину; делать более плоским
    б) перен. упрощать; делать поверхностным

    Новый англо-русский словарь > shallow

  • 20
    shallow

    1.

    a

    1) ме́лкий, неглубо́кий

    2.

    n

    мель ж

    The Americanisms. English-Russian dictionary. > shallow

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См. также в других словарях:

  • Shallow — Shal low, a. [Compar. {Shallower}; superl. {Shallowest}.] [OE. schalowe, probably originally, sloping or shelving; cf. Icel. skj[=a]lgr wry, squinting, AS. sceolh, D. & G. scheel, OHG. schelah. Cf. {Shelve} to slope, {Shoal} shallow.] 1. Not… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shallow — [shal′ō] adj. [ME shalow < OE * scealw < IE base * (s)kel , to dry out > SHOAL2, Gr skellein] 1. not deep [a shallow lake] 2. lacking depth of character, intellect, or meaning; superficial 3. slight; weak [shallow breathing] …   English World dictionary

  • Shallow — Shal low, v. t. To make shallow. Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Shallow — Shal low, v. i. To become shallow, as water. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shallow — [adj1] not deep cursory, depthless, empty, flat, hollow, inconsiderable, sand bar, shelf, shoal, slight, superficial, surface, trifling, trivial, unsound; concepts 737,777 Ant. deep shallow [adj2] unintelligent, ignorant cursory, empty, empty… …   New thesaurus

  • shallow — ► ADJECTIVE 1) of little depth. 2) not showing, requiring, or capable of serious thought. ► NOUN (shallows) ▪ a shallow area of water. DERIVATIVES shallowly adverb shallowness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • Shallow — Shal low, n. 1. A place in a body of water where the water is not deep; a shoal; a flat; a shelf. [1913 Webster] A swift stream is not heard in the channel, but upon shallows of gravel. Bacon. [1913 Webster] Dashed on the shallows of the moving… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shallow — index barren, cursory, fatuous, frivolous, puerile, superficial, trivial, volatile Burton s Legal Thesaurus …   Law dictionary

  • shallow — (adj.) c.1400, schalowe not deep, probably from O.E. sceald (see SHOAL (Cf. shoal)). Of breathing, attested from 1875; of thought or feeling, superficial, first recorded 1580s. The noun, usually shallows, is first recorded 1570s, from the… …   Etymology dictionary

  • shallow — adj *superficial, cursory, uncritical Analogous words: slim, slight, slender, *thin: trivial, trifling, *petty, paltry: empty, hollow, idle, *vain …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • shallow — 01. The sign said, Warning: [Shallow] water Do Not Dive. 02. The children were wading around in the warm [shallow] water of the bay, trying to catch fish. 03. The body of an unknown man has been found in a [shallow] grave in a forested area on… …   Grammatical examples in English

мелкий, мелководный, мелководье, отмель, мель, мелеть, уменьшать глубину

прилагательное

- мелкий, мелководный; неглубокий

shallow stream — мелкий ручей
shallow sea — мелководное море
shallow tray — плоский поднос
shallow hole — неглубокая яма
shallow steps — пологие ступени
shallow lens — плоская линза

- поверхностный, ограниченный; пустой

существительное

- часто мелкое место, мелководье, мель; отмель

the shallow of the river — брод

глагол

- мелеть
- уменьшать глубину

Мои примеры

Словосочетания

a shallow groove cut into the cliff — неглубокая канавка, вырубленная в скале  
a reaction to a world full of shallow materialism — реакция на мир, полный мелочной меркантильности  
the shallow pragmatism of customers — узкий практицизм потребителей  
shallow roots of a tree — неглубокие корни  
shallow breathing — неглубокое дыхание  
shallow play — несерьёзная, неглубокая пьеса  
shallow explanation — поверхностное объяснение  
shallow depth of soil — небольшая мощность почвенного слоя  
shallow water effect — влияние отмели  
shallow fog — низкий [стелющийся] туман  
shallow foundation — фундамент неглубокого заложения  
shallow-draught — мелкосидящий  

Примеры с переводом

I consider her to be shallow.

Я считаю её поверхностным человеком.

Alligators live in the shallows.

Аллигаторы водятся на мелководье.

His breathing became very shallow.

Его дыхание стало неглубоким.

Theirs is only a shallow friendship.

У них некрепкая дружба.

Elm trees have shallow roots.

У вязов (деревья) неглубокие корни.

His breathing was shallow and his pulse was weak.

Его дыхание было неглубоким, а пульс — слабым.

The silt shallowed the canal

Ил сделал канал мелководным. / Из-за ила канал обмелел.

ещё 8 примеров свернуть

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Her breath came in shallow gasps.

His breathing was shallow and uneven.

Her boyfriends were all shallow creeps.

Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке , напротив примера.

Возможные однокоренные слова

Формы слова

adjective
срав. степ. (comparative): shallower
прев. степ. (superlative): shallowest

shal·low

 (shăl′ō)

adj. shal·low·er, shal·low·est

1. Measuring little from bottom to top or surface; lacking physical depth.

2. Lacking depth of intellect, emotion, or knowledge: «This is a shallow parody of America» (Lloyd Rose).

3. Marked by insufficient inhalation of air; weak: shallow respirations.

4. In the part of a playing area that is closer to home plate: shallow left field.

n.

often shallows A part of a body of water of little depth; a shoal: abandoned the boat in the shallows.

tr. & intr.v. shal·lowed, shal·low·ing, shal·lows

To make or become shallow.


[Middle English schalowe.]


shal′low·ly adv.

shal′low·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

shallow

(ˈʃæləʊ)

adj

1. having little depth

2. lacking intellectual or mental depth or subtlety; superficial

n

(often plural) a shallow place in a body of water; shoal

vb

to make or become shallow

[C15: related to Old English sceald shallow; see shoal1]

ˈshallowly adv

ˈshallowness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

shal•low

(ˈʃæl oʊ)

adj. -low•er, -low•est, adj.

1. of little depth: shallow water.

2. lacking depth; superficial: a shallow mind.

3. taking in a relatively small amount of air in each inhalation: shallow breathing.

n.

4. Usu., shallows. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) a shallow part of a body of water; shoal.

v.t., v.i.

5. to make or become shallow.

[1350–1400; Middle English schalowe (adj.); akin to Old English sceald shallow (see shoal1)]

shal′low•ly, adv.

shal′low•ness, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

shallow

Past participle: shallowed
Gerund: shallowing

Imperative
shallow
shallow
Present
I shallow
you shallow
he/she/it shallows
we shallow
you shallow
they shallow
Preterite
I shallowed
you shallowed
he/she/it shallowed
we shallowed
you shallowed
they shallowed
Present Continuous
I am shallowing
you are shallowing
he/she/it is shallowing
we are shallowing
you are shallowing
they are shallowing
Present Perfect
I have shallowed
you have shallowed
he/she/it has shallowed
we have shallowed
you have shallowed
they have shallowed
Past Continuous
I was shallowing
you were shallowing
he/she/it was shallowing
we were shallowing
you were shallowing
they were shallowing
Past Perfect
I had shallowed
you had shallowed
he/she/it had shallowed
we had shallowed
you had shallowed
they had shallowed
Future
I will shallow
you will shallow
he/she/it will shallow
we will shallow
you will shallow
they will shallow
Future Perfect
I will have shallowed
you will have shallowed
he/she/it will have shallowed
we will have shallowed
you will have shallowed
they will have shallowed
Future Continuous
I will be shallowing
you will be shallowing
he/she/it will be shallowing
we will be shallowing
you will be shallowing
they will be shallowing
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been shallowing
you have been shallowing
he/she/it has been shallowing
we have been shallowing
you have been shallowing
they have been shallowing
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been shallowing
you will have been shallowing
he/she/it will have been shallowing
we will have been shallowing
you will have been shallowing
they will have been shallowing
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been shallowing
you had been shallowing
he/she/it had been shallowing
we had been shallowing
you had been shallowing
they had been shallowing
Conditional
I would shallow
you would shallow
he/she/it would shallow
we would shallow
you would shallow
they would shallow
Past Conditional
I would have shallowed
you would have shallowed
he/she/it would have shallowed
we would have shallowed
you would have shallowed
they would have shallowed

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun 1. shallow - a stretch of shallow watershallow — a stretch of shallow water    

shoal

body of water, water — the part of the earth’s surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean); «they invaded our territorial waters»; «they were sitting by the water’s edge»

Verb 1. shallow — make shallow; «The silt shallowed the canal»

shoal

alter, change, modify — cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; «The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city»; «The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue»

2. shallow — become shallow; «the lake shallowed over time»

shoal

change — undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one’s or its original nature; «She changed completely as she grew older»; «The weather changed last night»

Adj. 1. shallow — lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center; «shallow water»; «a shallow dish»; «a shallow cut»; «a shallow closet»; «established a shallow beachhead»; «hit the ball to shallow left field»

deep — having great spatial extension or penetration downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or laterally or outward from a center; sometimes used in combination; «a deep well»; «a deep dive»; «deep water»; «a deep casserole»; «a deep gash»; «deep massage»; «deep pressure receptors in muscles»; «deep shelves»; «a deep closet»; «surrounded by a deep yard»; «hit the ball to deep center field»; «in deep space»; «waist-deep»

2. shallow — not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply; «shallow breathing»; «a night of shallow fretful sleep»; «in a shallow trance»

deep — relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply; «a deep breath»; «a deep sigh»; «deep concentration»; «deep emotion»; «a deep trance»; «in a deep sleep»

3. shallow — lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious; «shallow people»; «his arguments seemed shallow and tedious»

superficial — concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually; «superficial similarities»; «a superficial mind»; «his thinking was superficial and fuzzy»; «superficial knowledge»; «the superficial report didn’t give the true picture»; «only superficial differences»

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

shallow

adjective superficial, surface, empty, slight, foolish, idle, trivial, meaningless, flimsy, frivolous, skin-deep I think he is shallow, vain and untrustworthy.
serious, deep, profound, meaningful, thoughtful, in-depth, analytical, weighty, perceptive

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

shallow

adjective

1. Measuring little from bottom to top or surface:

2. Lacking in intellectual depth or thoroughness:

noun

A shallow part of a body of water.Often used in plural:

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

mělkýpovrchní

lavoverfladisklavvandetåndsforladtflad

matalapinnallinen

plitak

felszínessekélysekélyesfelületeslapos

grunnhygginngrunnur

浅い

얕은

paviršutiniškumasseklumasseklus

aprobežotsseklsvirspusējs

plytký

plitev

grund

ตื้น

nông

shallow

[ˈʃæləʊ]

A. ADJ (shallower (compar) (shallowest (superl)))

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

shallow

[ˈʃæləʊ]

1. adj (-er (comp) (-est (superl))) (water) → basso/a, poco profondo/a; (dish) → piano/a; (breathing) → leggero/a (fig) (person) → superficiale, leggero/a; (conversation) → futile, frivolo/a

2. shallows nplsecche fpl

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

shallow

(ˈʃӕləu) adjective

1. not deep. shallow water; a shallow pit.

2. not able to think seriously or feel deeply. a rather shallow personality.

ˈshallowness nounˈshallows noun plural

a place where the water is shallow. There are dangerous rocks and shallows near the island.

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

shallow

ضَحْل mělký hul seicht ρηχός poco profundo matala peu profond plitak superficiale 浅い 얕은 oppervlakkig grunn płytki raso мелкий grund ตื้น sığ nông 浅的

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

  • Is there a shallow pool for the children? (US)
    Is there a paddling pool for the children? (UK)

Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

Meaning shallow

What does shallow mean? Here you find 11 meanings of the word shallow. You can also add a definition of shallow yourself

1

0

 
0

c. 1400, schalowe «not deep,» probably from or related to Old English sceald (see shoal (n.)). Of breathing, attested from 1875; of thought or feeling, «superficial,» first recorde [..]

2

0

 
0

shallow

not deep.

3

0

 
0

shallow

make shallow; &amp;quot;The silt shallowed the canal&amp;quot; lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a ce [..]

4

0

 
0

shallow

the opposite of deep; not very far to the bottom

5

0

 
0

shallow

(adj) lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center(n) a stretch of shallow water(adj) lacking depth of intel [..]

6

0

 
0

shallow

A weak-minded country justice, intended as a caricature of Sir Thomas Lucy, of Charlecote. He is described as one who had been a madcap in his youth, and still dotes on his wild tricks; he is withal a [..]

7

0

 
0

shallow

A shoal area in a river, or extending across a river, where the depths are less than those upstream or downstream of it.

8

0

 
0

shallow

Area where depth of water is small. A shoal.

9

0

 
0

shallow

a vessel which has a beam to depth ratio of 3.0 or over

10

0

 
0

shallow

An area composed of unconsolidated material where the depth of water is relatively less than its surroundings. (5)

11

0

 
0

shallow

An area where the depth of water is relatively slight.

Dictionary.university is a dictionary written by people like you and me.
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Other forms: shallows; shallower; shallowest; shallowing; shallowed

The adjective shallow can describe things that aren’t very deep, like a shallow puddle, or people who don’t have much emotional or intellectual depth, like shallow people who judge others on their looks and how much money they have.

Shallow likely comes from the Old English word sceald, which means «shoal,» the water near a shoreline. So, shallow describes something that is close to the surface — like the shallow roots of a newly-planted tree or a person whose interest in someone or something isn’t very deep. For instance, a shallow person might go to the opening of a new art exhibition not so much to see the artworks as meet the wealthy people on the museum’s board of trustees.

Definitions of shallow

  1. adjective

    lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center

    shallow water”

    “a
    shallow dish”

    “a
    shallow cut”

    “a
    shallow closet”

    “established a
    shallow beachhead”

    “hit the ball to
    shallow left field”

    Synonyms:

    ankle-deep, knee-deep

    coming only to the ankle or knee

    fordable

    shallow enough to be crossed by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle

    neritic

    relating to the region of shallow water adjoining the seacoast

    reefy, shelfy, shelvy, shoaly

    full of submerged reefs or sandbanks or shoals

  2. adjective

    lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious

    shallow people”

    “his arguments seemed
    shallow and tedious”

    Synonyms:

    superficial

    concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually

  3. adjective

    not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply

    shallow breathing”

    “a night of
    shallow fretful sleep”

    “in a
    shallow trance”

    Synonyms:

    light, wakeful

    (of sleep) easily disturbed

  4. noun

    a stretch of shallow water

  5. “The silt
    shallowed the canal”

    synonyms:

    shoal

  6. “the lake
    shallowed over time”

    synonyms:

    shoal

    see moresee less

    type of:

    change

    undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one’s or its original nature

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘shallow’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Mr. Sullivan, the blogger, said an eHow page with what he characterized as «shallow» content previously appeared as the first Google search result when users searched «how to get pregnant fast.» ❋ Amir Efrati (2011)

Another group that you need to be cognizant of, and this occurs primarily in young teenagers and young male adults, is what we call shallow-water blackout, people going underwater and seeing how long can they hold their breath. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Firefighters performed what they call a shallow water rescue. ❋ Unknown (2007)

He was under what they call shallow cover as a press attach. ❋ Unknown (1991)

My boxer tries to catch the fish she sees in shallow water. ❋ Unknown (2009)

This more geared towards small bass (largemouth or smallmouth) in shallow water, but it also will catch big ones on occasion. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Boxer has for years blocked oil drilling on land and in shallow waters. ❋ Richard Grenell (2010)

The definition of shallow is less meaningful, so in one sense of the term meaningful, Tyler Perry is less so in that context. ❋ Unknown (2010)

It had long been thought coral reefs only formed in shallow, warm waters. ❋ AP (2010)

But there are also some other effects that are more worrying: the massive growth of oxygen holes, because of oxidation of organic matter in shallow water. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Yes | No | Report from codymeyer11 wrote 49 weeks 2 days ago spinners and buzz baits …. other top water lures work well in shallow streams esp ❋ Unknown (2009)

Well you’re wrong, when the water is muddy don’t fish in shallow water, always fish in deeper water up to 8-12 feet of water. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Peter Deeks, of Merritt Island, both of Native Sons Outfitters, when they spotted the big gator around 9 p.m. in shallow marshland between Lake Washington and Lake Winder. ❋ Unknown (2009)

[Jon] likes [Jan] because Jan dresses [flashy]. ❋ Slappymyhead (2004)

1. Follower:
normal person: whats up? [hows life]?
Follower: ….fine…
normal person: whats you’re favorite color?
Follower: … i don’t know..
normal person: how can you not know what your favorite color is?
Follower: … i was afraid you would get offended…
2. [Groupie]:
[groupie] 1: aww youre my mostest bestest friend [4EVER]!!!!
groupie 2: thanks! *giggle* [I Luv you] too!!!!
groupie 1: oh can i get your phone number so i can txt u??
groupie 2: Eww psycho stalker NO WAY i hate u!!! go away!!!
3. Dick:
Normal person: hows it going with you and stacey?
Dick: she [got fat] and has acne, i dumped her
Normal person: wait i thought she called you every day saying how much she loved you??
Dick: ….whatever….
normal person: dude how can you be so shallow?
4. Poser
Poser: obama sucks!! i hate him!!
Normal Person: what are you talking about obama has done more for this country than you!!
Poser: ok. Obama is WIN! ❋ Grasshoppa (2010)

[see also] [Paris Hilton] ❋ Louie (2005)

I was hanging out with my friend the other day who is quite a bit better looking than me (I’m not ugly, he’s just hot I guess). So he and I are hanging out with this girl from school and I decide to test something.
Early that day I tell her a joke and she kind of laughs. So about 6 hours later, I have my friend tell her the exact same joke, [word for word] and she [cracks] up like it’s the funniest thing she’s ever heard.
Apparently the same exact joke was funnier when told by him, just because he’s better looking. Avoid girls/guys like that [at all cost]. ❋ LAJ (2005)

Person 1: «You are a [bad person].»
Person 2: «Name an example. Just exactly [what did I do wrong]?»
Person 1: *silent*
Person 2: «Can’t huh!? We don’t get along because you seem to already judged me by the number of friends I have on facebook!»
*pause*
Person 2: «[You’re pretty] shallow ❋ KanekanekaneX (2009)

Guy 1: I wish I had like a [crap load] of money, and then maybe [Janie] would talk to me?
Guy 2: Why do you like her?, she is shallow, and if you did have all the money, she would spend it and leave you with nothing and move on to the next [rich guy].
Guy 1: Nope, she is not that type of girl.
Guy 2: Oh yes she is, and anyway doens’t Sally like you?
Guy 1: GROSS, are you serious, she is soo ugly
Guy 2: you know what, I think your right maybe you and Janie belong together, becuase you both are shallow ❋ Who The Douce Are You? (2005)

Ian is such a shallow [cock-sucker], All he cares about is his stupid existence «which is nothing» and then he proceeds to complain about everything else and that [dosen’t] really do much to help his [disposition]. Life is addictive bitch! ❋ Some Where In A Physical Body. (2006)

[Macgregor] is a shallow [soccer mom]. ❋ Bumkicker Slade (2005)

Guy #1: [Hal], lemme ask you something. Are you so shallow that you’d rather date a girl missing one breast than [half a brain]?
Guy #2: Ooh…[toughie]. Well, how’s the remaining breast? Is it big? ❋ Elizabeth Bennett (2006)

«[Yanira] Saenzpardo is so shallow she didnt [go out] wit that guy because he dropped his [milk]» ❋ Jael (2006)

Princeton’s WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

  1. shoal, shallowadjective

    a stretch of shallow water

  2. shallowadjective

    lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center

    «shallow water»; «a shallow dish»; «a shallow cut»; «a shallow closet»; «established a shallow beachhead»; «hit the ball to shallow left field»

  3. shallowadjective

    not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply

    «shallow breathing»; «a night of shallow fretful sleep»; «in a shallow trance»

  4. shallowverb

    lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious

    «shallow people»; «his arguments seemed shallow and tedious»

  5. shallow, shoalverb

    make shallow

    «The silt shallowed the canal»

  6. shallow, shoalverb

    become shallow

    «the lake shallowed over time»

WiktionaryRate this definition:4.5 / 2 votes

  1. shallownoun

    A shallow portion of an otherwise deep body of water.

    The ship ran aground in an unexpected shallow.

  2. shallowverb

    To make or become less deep

  3. shallowadjective

    Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.

  4. shallowadjective

    Extending not far downward.

    The water is shallow here

  5. shallowadjective

    Concerned mainly with superficial matters.

    It was a glamorous but shallow lifestyle

  6. shallowadjective

    Lacking interest or substance.

    The acting is good, but the characters are shallow

  7. Etymology: Origin uncertain; apparently related to sceald.

Samuel Johnson’s DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. Shallowadjective

    Etymology: This word is probably compounded of shoal and low.

    1. Not deep; having the bottom at no great distance from the surface or edge.

    I had been drowned, but that the shore was shelvy and shallow; a death that I abhor.
    William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Winds.

    That inundation, though it were shallow, had a long continuance, whereby they of the vale, that were not drowned, perished for want of food.
    Francis Bacon.

    The like opinion he held of Meotis Palus, that by the floods of Tanais, and earth brought down thereby, it grew observably shallower in his days, and would in process of time become a firm land.
    Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours.

    I am made a shallow forded stream,
    Seen to the bottom: all my clearness scorn’d,
    And all my faults expos’d.
    John Dryden, All for Love.

    Shallow brooks, that flow’d so clear,
    The bottom did the top appear.
    Dryden.

    In shallow furrows vines securely grow.
    Dryden.

    2. Not intellectually deep; not profound; not very knowing or wise; empty; trifling; futile; silly.

    I’ll shew my mind,
    According to my shallow simple skill.
    William Shakespeare.

    This is a very shallow monster:
    Afraid of him? A very shallow monster,
    The man i’ th’ moon! A most poor credulous monster.
    William Shakespeare.

    The king was neither so shallow nor so ill advertised as not to perceive the intention of the French king, for the investing himself of Britaigne.
    Francis Bacon, Henry VII.

    Uncertain and unsettled he remains,
    Deep verst in books, and shallow in himself.
    John Milton.

    One would no more wonder to see the most shallow nation of Europe the most vain, than to find the most empty fellows in every nation more conceited than the rest.
    Addison.

    3. Not deep of sound.

    If a virginal were made with a double concave, the one all the length of the virginal, and the other at the end of the strings, as the harp hath, it must make the sound perfecter, and not so shallow and jarring.
    Francis Bacon.

  2. Shallownoun

    A shelf; a sand; a flat; a shoal; a place where the water is not deep.

    Etymology: from the adjective.

    I should not see the sandy hour-glass run,
    But I should think of shallows and of flats;
    And see my wealthy Andrew dock’d in sand,
    Veiling her high top lower than her ribs,
    To kiss her burial.
    William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

    A swift stream is not heard in the channel, but upon shallows of gravel.
    Francis Bacon, Nat. History.

    Having but newly left those grammatick flats and shallows, where they stuck unreasonably, to learn a few words with lamentable construction, and now on the sudden transported, to be tost with their unballasted wits in fathomless and unquiet deeps of controversy, they do grow into hatred of learning.
    John Milton.

    You that so oft have sounded
    And fathom’d all his thoughts, that know the deeps
    And shallows of his heart, should need no instruments
    To advance your ends.
    John Denham.

    In arms of the sea, and among islands, there is no great depth, and some places are plain shallows.
    Burnet.

    He sounds and fathoms him, to find
    The shallows of his soul.
    John Dryden, Spanish Fryar.

    The wary Dutch
    Behind their treach’rous shallows now withdraw,
    And there lay snares to catch the British host.
    Dryden.

    Three more fierce Eurus in his angry mood
    Dash’d on the shallows of the moving sand,
    And in mid ocean left them moor’d a-land.
    John Dryden, Æn.

    Their spawn being lighter than the water, there it would not sink to the bottom, but be buoyed up by it, and carried away to the shallows.
    John Ray, on the Creation.

    With the use of diligence, and prudent conduct, he may decline both rocks and shallows.
    John Norris.

    The sea could not be much narrower than it is, without a great loss to the world; and must we now have an ocean of mere flats and shallows, to the utter ruin of navigation?
    Richard Bentley.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

  1. Shallow

    not deep; having little depth; shoal

  2. Shallow

    not deep in tone

  3. Shallow

    not intellectually deep; not profound; not penetrating deeply; simple; not wise or knowing; ignorant; superficial; as, a shallow mind; shallow learning

  4. Shallownoun

    a place in a body of water where the water is not deep; a shoal; a flat; a shelf

  5. Shallownoun

    the rudd

  6. Shallowverb

    to make shallow

  7. Shallowverb

    to become shallow, as water

  8. Etymology: [OE. schalowe, probably originally, sloping or shelving; cf. Icel. skjlgr wry, squinting, AS. sceolh, D. & G. scheel, OHG. schelah. Cf. Shelve to slope, Shoal shallow.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. Shallow

    shal′ō, n. a sandbank: a place over which the water is not deep: a shoal.—adj. not deep: not profound: not wise: trifling.—v.t. to make shallow.—v.i. to grow shallow.—adjs. Shall′ow-brained, -pā′ted, weak in intellect; Shall′ow-heart′ed, not capable of deep feelings.—adv. Shall′owly (Shak.), simply, foolishly.—n. Shall′owness. [Scand., Ice. skjálgr, wry; cf. Ger. scheel.]

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. SHALLOW

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Shallow is ranked #30889 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Shallow surname appeared 753 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Shallow.

    81.2% or 612 total occurrences were White.
    16% or 121 total occurrences were Black.
    1% or 8 total occurrences were Asian.
    1% or 8 total occurrences were of two or more races.

British National Corpus

  1. Adjectives Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word ‘shallow’ in Adjectives Frequency: #757

How to pronounce shallow?

How to say shallow in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of shallow in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of shallow in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of shallow in a Sentence

  1. Mirela Holy:

    The Adriatic is a shallow and closed sea, just one disaster here and we could forget the entire economy in the coastal region.

  2. Dejan Stojanovic:

    Courage is more important than to be deceived by shallow victory waiting for a delayed defeat.

  3. David Hone:

    They seem to be heron-like in their habits so they would be wading in shallow water and taking fish and other swimming things like small turtles and young crocodiles and doing the same on land going after baby dinosaurs and mammals, they would have been able to strike down hard and fast, just as herons do, so it would be a quick snap down on something relatively small.

  4. Stephen Franke:

    My positioning on the wave just wasn’t right, [It was] pretty shallow water, so I cut through the water pretty quick and went straight to the sand to my forehead.

  5. Bobby Jindal:

    He’s a non-serious carnival act, donald Trump is shallow. Has no understanding of policy. Donald Trump’s full of bluster but has no substance. Donald Trump lacks the intellectual curiosity to even learn.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

shallow#10000#10283#100000


Translations for shallow

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • ضحلArabic
  • һайBashkir
  • superficial, poc profund, plaCatalan, Valencian
  • povrchní, mělčina, mělkýCzech
  • åndsforladt, flad, lavvandet, lav, overfladiskDanish
  • seicht, Untiefe, flach, oberflächlichGerman
  • ρηχόςGreek
  • malprofundaEsperanto
  • superficial, desinteresante, bajo, poco profundo, bajofondoSpanish
  • azalekoBasque
  • تنک, کم عمق, تختPersian
  • matala, pinnallinenFinnish
  • haut-fond, baisse, peu profond, superficiel, bas-fondFrench
  • eu-domhainn, faoin, tanalachdScottish Gaelic
  • उथलाHindi
  • felületes, lapos, felszínes, sekélyes, sekélyHungarian
  • ծանծաղArmenian
  • pauco profundeInterlingua
  • dangkalIndonesian
  • superficiale, secca, poco profondoItalian
  • 浅い, 川瀬Japanese
  • მარჩხობიGeorgian
  • 여울Korean
  • seklusLithuanian
  • seklsLatvian
  • pāpaku, pātiMāori
  • површен, плитак, плитокMacedonian
  • တိမ်Burmese
  • lav, overflatisk, flat, grunn, overfladiskNorwegian
  • oppervlakkig, ondiep, ondiepteDutch
  • grunn, overflatisk, flat, lavNorwegian Nynorsk
  • gruntNorwegian
  • płytkiPolish
  • superficial, desinteressante, raso, rasaPortuguese
  • puțin adânc, platRomanian
  • отмель, мелкий, неглубокий, мель, поверхностныйRussian
  • plytkýSlovak
  • cekëtinëAlbanian
  • grund, ytligSwedish
  • ஆழமற்றTamil
  • sığTurkish
  • мілина, мілкий, неглибокий, поверхневийUkrainian
  • ارےUrdu
  • Nông cạnVietnamese
  • פּליטקעYiddish

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