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fade fast
1. To rapidly approach death, as due to illness or injury. Our mother was taken ill last night from pneumonia, and now she's fading fast. He's losing a lot of blood and fading fast—we need to get him to a hospital right away.
2. To become increasingly incapable of remaining conscious or awake. After seven hours working the night shift, I was starting to feel incredibly drowsy and was fading fast. I think John has had too much to drink, he's fading fast!
3. To rapidly disappear or dissolve. Due to the rapid globalization of the world, there are many languages unique to small groups of people that are fading fast from existence. Support for the president's controversial tax plan is fading fast.
fade away
(into something) 1. . to diminish into something. The light faded away into nothing. The sound of the drums faded away into the distance.
2. Go to fade out.
fade back (into something)
to move back into a particular area. He faded back to throw a pass. Quickly and unnoticed, he faded back.
fade down
[for sound] to diminish. The roar of the train faded down as it passed and fled into the night. As the thunder faded down, the sun began to break through the clouds.
fade from something
[for something] to leave something gradually, such as one's consciousness, memory, view, etc. (See also
fade from view.)
The image faded from her memory at last.fade from view
[for a sight] to fade away, typically owing to loss of light or distance. The scene faded from view as the stage lights dimmed. My house faded from view as we drove down the long road to town.
fade into something
to diminish or change into something. The light of dusk faded into blackness. In the corner of the painting, the deep reds faded into lavender.
fade out
and fade awayto diminish and go away altogether. The light in the distance faded out as the sun began to set. The light faded out as the candles burned themselves out, one by one. As it got farther into the distance, the car faded away.
fade something down
to turn down a sound. (Broadcasting.) The radio engineer faded the music down and the announcer's voice began. She faded down the music.
fade something in
to bring a picture, sound, or both into prominence. (Broadcasting.) The technician faded the picture in and the program began. Fade in the picture a little faster next time.
fade something out
to diminish something altogether. (Broadcasting.) At the end, you should fade the music out completely. Fade out the music earlier.
fade something up
to increase the sound gradually. (Broadcasting.) The director faded the music up and then down again before the announcer spoke. Fade up the music when the announcer stops talking.
fade/pale into insignificance
if something pales into insignificance, it does not seem at all important when compared to something else When your child's ill, everything else pales into insignificance. With the outbreak of war all else fades into insignificance.
fade out
1. Gradually disappear or become inaudible; also, cause to disappear or become inaudible gradually. For example, He let the final chord fade out completely before he played the next movement. The antonym is fade in, "to appear gradually or become audible," as in The images on the screen faded in until they could be seen clearly. These terms originated in the motion-picture and broadcasting industries, where they apply to images and sounds. [c. 1915]
2. Also, fade away. Quietly depart, as in "Florence Scape, Fanny Scape and their mother faded away to Boulogne" (William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, 1848). [Mid-1800s]
fade away
v. To dissipate or fade slowly and completely: As I got older, my memories faded away.
fade back
v.1. In American football, to move away from the line of scrimmage, opposite to the direction of the overall offensive play, in order to gain time to make a forward pass: The quarterback faded back and looked downfield for an open receiver.
2. To move something backwards into some space: After she took the medicine, the rash faded back to just her finger.
fade in
v. To cause something, especially sound, light, or a cinematic or television image, to appear or be heard gradually: At the beginning of the play, a voice mutters quietly as the lights fade in.
fade into
v. To gradually assume a new degree or quality of visibility, brightness, or color: Each scene of the movie fades into black before the next one starts.
fade out
v.1. To disappear gradually: The final scene of the movie faded out.
2. To cause something, especially a sound or a cinematic or television image, to disappear gradually: The technician will fade out the lights when the speaker gets off the stage. I faded the spotlight out at the end of the act.
fade up
v.1. To increase in intensity: The sound of the drums fades up as the piece begins.
2. To cause something to increase in intensity: The director said we should fade the lights up on the back of the stage. The picture faded up as the movie began.
do a fade
tv. to leave; to sneak away. It’s time for me to do a fade.
fade
1. in. to leave. I think that the time has come for me to fade. See ya.
2. in. [for someone] to lose power; [for someone] to lose influence. Ralph is fading, and someone else will have to take over.
faded
mod. drunk; drug intoxicated. Man, is that guy ever faded! Look at him weave from one lane to another.