shines

Shines is the third-person singular present tense of the verb shine. It is used with a singular subject in the present, as in “the sun shines” or “the lamp shines brightly.” The verb describes emitting light, appearing bright, or reflecting light from another source. The past tense and past participle forms are “shone” (British English) and “shined” (American English).

Shine traces to Old English scinan, with cognates in other Germanic languages such as Dutch schijnen and German scheinen. The core sense of emitting light has broadened over time to include metaphorical brightness and excellence in various contexts.

Usage can be literal or figurative. Literal: “the sun shines through the window” or “the lamp shines on the stage.” Reflective brightness can be described as “the polished surface shines.” Figurative usage: “the idea shines in the presentation” or “her performance shines.” The word also appears in phrases related to illumination, radiance, or brilliance, sometimes extending to metaphorical success or distinction.

As a noun, shine refers to brightness or a glossy surface finish, but the plural form “shines” is not standard as a noun. The related terms include gloss, luster, sheen, and luminosity, which describe similar qualities of brightness or surface quality.

See also: shine, luminosity, gloss, luster.