Shed \Shed\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shed; p. pr. & vb. n. Shedding.]

[OE. scheden, sch?den, to pour, to part, AS. sc[=a]dan, sce['a]dan, to pert, to separate; akin to OS. sk??an, OFries. sk?tha, G. scheiden, OHG. sceidan, Goth. skaidan, and probably to Lith. sk["e]du I part, separate, L. scindere to cleave, to split, Gr. ???, Skr. chid, and perch. also to L. caedere to cut. [root]159. Cf. Chisel, Concise, Schism, Sheading, Sheath, Shide.]

1. To separate; to divide. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

--Robert of Brunne.

2. To part with; to throw off or give forth from one's self; to emit; to diffuse; to cause to emanate or flow; to pour forth or out; to spill; as, the sun sheds light; she shed tears; the clouds shed rain.

Did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's blood? --Shak.

Twice seven consenting years have shed Their utmost bounty on thy head. --Wordsworth.

3. To let fall; to throw off, as a natural covering of hair, feathers, shell; to cast; as, fowls shed their feathers; serpents shed their skins; trees shed leaves.

4. To cause to flow off without penetrating; as, a tight roof, or covering of oiled cloth, sheeds water.

5. To sprinkle; to intersperse; to cover. [R.]

``Her hair . . . is shed with gray.'' --B. Jonson.

6. (Weaving) To divide, as the warp threads, so as to form a shed, or passageway, for the shuttle.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Shedding \Shed"ding\, n.

1. The act of shedding, separating, or casting off or out; as, the shedding of blood.

2. That which is shed, or cast off. [R.]

--Wordsworth.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)