shady
Preserved but no longer current.
An expression implying decadence. On "the SHADY side of forty" implies that a person is considerably older than forty. SHADY also means inferiority in other senses. A "shady trick" is either a shabby one, mean or trumpery, or else it is one contemptible from the want of ability displayed. The SHADY side of a question is, and fairly enough too, that which has no brightness to recommend it.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “shady” mean?
An expression implying decadence. On "the SHADY side of forty" implies that a person is considerably older than forty. SHADY also means inferiority in other senses. A "shady trick" is either a shabby one, mean or trumpery, or else it is one contemptible from the want of ability displayed. The SHADY side of a question is, and fairly enough too, that which has no brightness to recommend it.
Is “shady” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.