sun-shine

A form of sunshine — The direct rays, light or warmth of the sun.

Meanings

nounsun-shine (uncountable)
  1. archaicuncountableArchaic form of sunshine.

    And all the ſhrubs, vvith ſparkling ſpangles, ſhevv / Like Morning-Sun-ſhine tinsilling the devv.

    1648, Robert Herrick, “The Apparition of His Mistresse Calling Him to Elizium”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 240
    5 more examples

    That I had not a line or two from your hand by Mr. D. I suppose was rather mischance then intention: that I eagerly expected it may be credited from my frequent importunities, from which I know not how you will defend your self, so long as I tenebrize it here in this blind corner, where I almost live like a flye in winter, and onely play in the Sun-shine when I communicate with such freinds as your self.

    1662, Robert Loveday, Loveday's letters, domestick and forreign, page 68

    Thus have I lain conceal'd like a vvinter Fly, hoping for ſome bleſt Sun-Shine to vvarm me into Life again, and make me hover my flagging VVings; […]

    1686 (first performance), A[phra] Behn, The Luckey Chance, or An Alderman’s Bargain. A Comedy. […], London: […] R. H[olt], for W. Canning, […], published 1687, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 5

    […] I [Satan] cannot ſtay / Flaring in ſun-ſhine all the day: / For, entre nous, we helliſh ſprites, / Love more the freſco of the nights; […]

    a. 1722 (date written), Matthew Prior, “Hans Carvel”, in The Poetical Works of Matthew Prior […], volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan, […], published 1779, →OCLC, page 124

    The true Aſtroites, vvhich in the ſun-ſhine throvvs out a briſk light radiating from one certain point, belongs to the claſs of Pellucids.

    [1735?], Herman Boerhaave, “Being a Delineation of the Theory. [Of Stones.]”, in [anonymous], transl., Elements of Chemistry. Being the Annual Lectures of Hermann Boerhaave, M.D. […], volume I, London: […] J. Clarke […], and S. Austen […]; and sold by J. Roberts […], →OCLC, page 33

    Our ovvn muddy atmoſphere, that vvraps us round in obſcurity, though it fails to gild our proſpects vvith ſun-ſhine, or our groves vvith fruitage, nevertheleſs anſvvers the calls of industry.

    1791, Oliver Goldsmith, “Of Winds, Irregular and Regular”, in An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature. […], new edition, volume I, London: […] F[rancis] Wingrave, successor to Mr. [John] Nourse, […], →OCLC, page 333
Cite this entry
APA

sun-shine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sun-shine

MLA

“sun-shine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sun-shine. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sun-shine,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sun-shine.

Source: sun-shine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.