Ask Difference

Shine vs. Shinning — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 30, 2023
"Shine" is a verb meaning to emit light or to excel, while "Shinning" is a misspelling but often intended to mean climbing or illegally transporting liquor.
Shine vs. Shinning — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Shine and Shinning

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Key Differences

Shine is a verb meaning to emit light or to be very good at something. It implies radiance and the emission of light, whether literal or figurative. For instance, someone can shine at a talent show, meaning they perform exceptionally well. The term encapsulates brightness and excellence in various contexts, from physical luminosity to metaphorical distinction.
Shinning, on the other hand, is not a standard word in English. It is commonly a misspelling of "shining," which is the present participle of shine. However, it might also be a colloquial or regional variant referring to the act of climbing something, typically a pole or a rope, by gripping with the arms and legs. Alternatively, it could reference the illegal transportation of liquor, derived from "moonshining."
Shine, as a term, is versatile and can be used in various grammatical forms. Its uses span from its base form as a verb to its gerund/participle form "shining" when used in continuous tenses or as an adjective. It signifies a state of being that involves radiating light or excelling in a field.
Shinning, when intended to mean "climbing," is often used informally and in specific dialects. It's not recognized as a standard form of the word shine, but it retains a sense of action. When it comes to its illicit connotation related to liquor, it is derived from the noun "moonshine," reflecting a slang usage rather than formal speech.

Comparison Chart

Definition

To emit light or excel in something.
Incorrect spelling of "shining" or slang for climbing or transporting liquor.
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Part of Speech

Verb (base form).
Verb (informal/nonstandard usage).

Tense

Present simple.
Could imply present continuous or slang.

Usage

Formal and informal English.
Informal, often a typo or slang.

Conjugation

Shines, shone, shining.
Not applicable or nonstandard.

Compare with Definitions

Shine

To emit light brightly
The sun shine brightly in the clear sky.

Shinning

Climbing using limbs
He was shinning up the tree to rescue the cat.

Shine

To polish or make something glossy
She took time to shine her silverware.

Shinning

Illegally transporting liquor
They caught him shinning goods across the border.

Shine

To direct a light on something
The guard shine a flashlight on the path.

Shinning

(Regional use) Moving quickly
He was shinning down the road before dawn.

Shine

(of the sun or another source of light) give out a bright light
The sun shone through the window

Shinning

The front part of the leg below the knee and above the ankle.

Shine

Be very talented or perform very well
A boy who shone at nothing

Shinning

The shinbone.

Shine

Make (an object made of leather, metal, or wood) bright by rubbing it; polish
His shoes were shined to perfection

Shinning

A cut of meat from the lower foreleg of beef cattle.

Shine

A quality of brightness produced when light is reflected on something
My hair has lost its shine

Shinning

To climb (a rope or pole, for example) by gripping and pulling alternately with the hands and legs.

Shine

To emit light.

Shinning

To kick or hit in the shins.

Shine

To reflect light; glint or glisten.

Shinning

To climb something by shinning it.

Shine

To distinguish oneself in an activity or a field; excel.

Shinning

To move quickly on foot.

Shine

To be immediately apparent
Delight shone in her eyes.

Shinning

Present participle of shin

Shine

To aim or cast the beam or glow of (a light).

Shinning

(Slang) Hurting one's shin by collision
I ended up shinning myself on the coffee table.

Shine

Past tense and past participle shined To make glossy or bright by polishing.

Shine

Brightness from a source of light; radiance.

Shine

Brightness from reflected light; luster.

Shine

A shoeshine.

Shine

Excellence in quality or appearance; splendor.

Shine

Fair weather
Rain or shine.

Shine

Shines(Informal) Pranks or tricks.

Shine

(Slang) Whiskey; moonshine.

Shine

Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a black person.

Shine

To emit or reflect light so as to glow.

Shine

To reflect light.

Shine

To distinguish oneself; to excel.
My nephew tried other sports before deciding on football, which he shone at right away, quickly becoming the star of his school team.

Shine

To be effulgent in splendour or beauty.

Shine

To be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished; to exhibit brilliant intellectual powers.

Shine

To be immediately apparent.

Shine

(transitive) To create light with (a flashlight, lamp, torch, or similar).
I shone my light into the darkness to see what was making the noise.

Shine

(transitive) To cause to shine, as a light or by reflected light.
In hunting, to shine the eyes of a deer at night by throwing a light on them

Shine

(transitive) To cause (something) to shine; put a shine on (something); polish (something).
He shined my shoes until they were polished smooth and gleaming.

Shine

To polish a cricket ball using saliva and one’s clothing.

Shine

Brightness from a source of light.

Shine

Brightness from reflected light.

Shine

Excellence in quality or appearance; splendour.

Shine

Shoeshine.

Shine

Sunshine.

Shine

(slang) Moonshine; illicitly brewed alcoholic drink.

Shine

(cricket) The amount of shininess on a cricket ball, or on each side of the ball.

Shine

(slang) A liking for a person; a fancy.
She's certainly taken a shine to you.

Shine

A caper; an antic; a row.

Shine

To emit rays of light; to give light; to beam with steady radiance; to exhibit brightness or splendor; as, the sun shines by day; the moon shines by night.
Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine.
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Cghrist.
Let thine eyes shine forth in their full luster.

Shine

To be bright by reflection of light; to gleam; to be glossy; as, to shine like polished silver.

Shine

To be effulgent in splendor or beauty.
Once brightest shined this child of heat and air.

Shine

To be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished; to exhibit brilliant intellectual powers; as, to shine in courts; to shine in conversation.
Few are qualified to shine in company; but it in most men's power to be agreeable.

Shine

To cause to shine, as a light.
He [God] doth not rain wealth, nor shine honor and virtues, upon men equally.

Shine

To make bright; to cause to shine by reflected light; as, in hunting, to shine the eyes of a deer at night by throwing a light on them.

Shine

The quality or state of shining; brightness; luster, gloss; polish; sheen.
Now sits not girt with taper's holy shine.
Fair opening to some court's propitious shine.
The distant shine of the celestial city.

Shine

Sunshine; fair weather.
Be it fair or foul, or rain or shine.

Shine

A liking for a person; a fancy.

Shine

Caper; antic; row.

Shine

Shining; sheen.

Shine

The quality of being bright and sending out rays of light

Shine

Be bright by reflecting or casting light;
Drive carefully--the wet road reflects

Shine

Emit light; be bright, as of the sun or a light;
The sun shone bright that day
The fire beamed on their faces

Shine

Be shiny, as if wet;
His eyes were glistening

Shine

Be distinguished or eminent;
His talent shines

Shine

Be clear and obvious;
A shining example

Shine

Especially of the complexion: show a strong bright color, such as red or pink;
Her face glowed when she came out of the sauna

Shine

Throw or flash the light of (a lamp, etc.);
Shine the light on that window, please

Shine

Touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly;
Light fell on her face
The sun shone on the fields
The light struck the golden necklace
A strange sound struck my ears

Shine

Experience a feeling of well-being or happiness, as from good health or an intense emotion;
She was beaming with joy
Her face radiated with happiness

Shine

(of surfaces) make shine;
Shine the silver, please
Polish my shoes

Shine

To excel or be outstanding
He will shine in the lead role of the play.

Shine

Reflect light
The lake's surface shine under the moonlight.

Common Curiosities

Can shine be used as a noun?

Yes, "shine" can also be a noun meaning brightness or luster.

How do you use shinning in a sentence?

Informally, "He was shinning up the rope during the gym class."

Is "shinning" a recognized verb?

"Shinning" is not standard; it may be a misspelling of "shining" or slang for climbing using one's shins.

How do you use shine in a sentence?

"She hopes to shine in the math competition."

Is "shinning" a correct past tense of shine?

No, the correct past tense of shine is "shone" or "shined" depending on the context.

What does shinning mean in slang?

In slang, it could mean climbing or illegally transporting liquor.

Does shinning have a participle form?

As it's nonstandard or slang, it doesn't have a recognized participle form.

What is the participle form of shine?

The participle form is "shining," as in "The shining sun."

Can "shinning" be used in formal writing?

No, it's considered informal and often incorrect.

What is the future tense of shine?

"Will shine," as in "The new artist will shine one day."

What part of speech is shine usually used as?

It's typically used as a verb, but can also be a noun.

Can shine be used metaphorically?

Yes, it can denote standing out in performance, like "shine in a job interview."

Is "shine" always about light?

No, it can also refer to excellence in non-physical contexts.

Does shinning have a future tense?

As a nonstandard verb, it does not have a recognized future tense.

Is shinning recognized in dictionaries?

Not as a form of shine; any listings are usually as regional or slang terms.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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