subs. and verb. (old).—1. A spy or close attendant: e.g., (1) a detective; (2) see quot. 1869; (3) a bosom friend; and (4) a JACKAL (q.v.). As verb. = (1) to track, to spy, to DOG (q.v.); and (2) to be inseparable.
1607. TOURNEUR, The Revenger’s Tragedy ii. 3. Vind. I’de almost forgot—the bastard— Luss. What of him? Vind. This night—this houre—this minute—now— Luss. What? what? Vind. SHADOWES the Duchesse—
c. 1859. Providence Journal. [BARTLETT]. She was SHADOWED, and her ways of life ascertained.
1875. GREENWOOD, Low-life Deeps, 62. She’s a dress-woman…. One of them that they tog out so that they may show off at their best and make the most of their faces. But they can’t trust ’em…. You might tell that by the SHADDER.
1876. New York Herald, 23 March. Barr was decoyed … by a member of the secret service, who SHADOWED him.
1886. A. F. PINKERTON, Dyke Darrel, the Railroad Detective, vi. A man had SHADOWED the detective since his departure from the railway office.
1891. G. F. GRIFFITHS [Tr. FOUARD, Christ, The Son of God, i. 238]. He was SHADOWED by spies, who were stirring up the crowd against Him.
1897. Weekly Dispatch, 24 Oct., 2. 4. They proved to be two well-known and expert burglars … and the SHADOWING was continued for several days, the police hoping to secure the receiver.
1902. LYNCH, High Stakes, xxviii. It is not a SHADOWING expedition. It is a hold-up.
2. (Westminster School).—See quot.
1867. W. L. COLLINS, The Public Schools, 187. When a boy is first placed in the school, he is attached to another boy in the same form, something in the relation of an apprentice. The new boy is called the ‘SHADOW,’ the other the ‘Substance.’ For the first week the SHADOW follows the Substance everywhere, takes his place next to him in class … and is exempt from any responsibility for his own mistakes in or out of school. During this interval of indulgence, his patron is expected to initiate him in all the work of the school,… in short, to teach him by degrees to enter upon a substantial and responsible existence of his own.
MAY YOUR SHADOW NEVER BE (or GROW) LESS, phr. (colloquial).—May you prosper!
1887. Referee, 2 Jan. The recipients … hope that Sara’s SHADOW MAY NEVER GROW LESS.
