fadeaway

See also: fade away and fade-away

English

Alternative forms

• fade-away

Etymology

Deverbal from fade away.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

fadeaway (plural fadeaways)

1. An instance of fading away, of diminishing in proximity or intensity.
   • 2014 May 11, Ivan Hewett, “Piano Man: a Life of John Ogdon by Charles Beauclerk, review: A new biography of the great British pianist whose own genius destroyed him [print version: A colossus off-key, 10 May 2014, p. R27]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review)‎^[1]:

     In his final years he [John Ogdon] gave an interview to an American journalist who noticed that "his handshake is a boneless fadeaway["].

2. (basketball) A jump shot made while jumping backwards, away from the basket. The goal is to create space between the shooter and the defender, making it much harder to block.
   • 2009 February 3, Howard Beck, “Bryant Puts on a Show, Setting Garden Records”, in New York Times‎^[2]:

     He taunted the Knicks instead with hanging jumpers, impossible fadeaways and layups in traffic.

3. (slang) The ending of a personal relationship by stopping any contact with the other party and not providing an explanation.

   Why some people choose to do the infamous "fadeaway" instead of a clean break?