fade

1. gradually grow faint and disappear.

   the light had faded and dusk was advancing

   hopes of peace had faded

2. (with reference to film and television images) come or cause to come gradually into or out of view, or to merge into another shot.

   fade into scenes of rooms strewn with festive remains

   some shots have to be faded in

3. (of the ball) deviate to the right (or, for a left-handed golfer, the left), typically as a result of spin given to the ball.

   the ball faded toward an area left of the green

4. (in craps) match the bet of (another player).

   Lovejoy faded him for twenty-five cents

1. the process of becoming less bright.

   the sun can cause colour fade

2. a shot causing the ball to deviate to the right (or, for a left-handed golfer, the left).

   when they get to the 18th the ideal shot is a fade

3. a haircut in which the hair is left long on top of the head but cropped close to the sides and back with the length of hair gradually decreasing.

   a fade is extremely versatile and can be adjusted to different hair types and lengths

Middle English (in the sense ‘grow weak’): from Old French fader, from fade ‘dull, insipid’, probably based on a blend of Latin fatuus ‘silly, insipid’ and vapidus ‘vapid’.