shake Hear it!

shake Definition

shake (s̸hāk)

transitive verb shook, shak′en, shak′·ing

  1. to cause to move up and down, back and forth, or from side to side with short, quick movements
  2. to bring, force, mix, stir up, dislodge, rearrange, etc. by or as by abrupt, brisk movements to shake a medicine before taking it
    1. to scatter by short, quick movements of the container to shake pepper on a steak
    2. to clean, empty, or straighten by short, quick movements: often with out to shake a rug
  4. to cause to quiver or tremble chills that shook his body
    1. to cause to totter or become unsteady
    2. to unnerve; disturb; upset shaken by the news
  6. to brandish; flourish; wave
  7. to clasp (another's hand), as in greeting
  8. ☆ Informal to get away from or rid of to shake one's pursuers
  9. Music trill

Etymology: ME schaken < OE sceacan, akin to LowG schaken < IE *skeg-, var. of base *skek- > shag

intransitive verb

  1. to move or be moved quickly and irregularly up and down, back and forth, or from side to side; vibrate
  2. to tremble, quake, or quiver, as from cold or fear
  3. to become unsteady; totter; reel
  4. to clasp each other's hand, as in greeting
  5. Music trill

noun

  1. an act of shaking; back-and-forth movement
  2. an unsteady or trembling movement; tremor
  3. a natural split or fissure in rock or timber
  4. a long shingle split from a log
  5. Informal an earthquake
  6. ☆ milkshake
  7. Informal a convulsive trembling, as from disease, fear, alcoholism, etc.: usually with the
  8. Informal a very short time; moment be back in a shake
  9. Informal a particular kind of treatment; deal to get a fair shake
  10. Music trill

shake Related Forms
shak′·able adjective or shake′·able
shake Idioms

give someone the shake

or give something the shake☆

Slang to avoid or get rid of an undesirable person (or thing)

no great shakes

Informal not of outstanding ability, importance, etc.; ordinary

shake down

  1. to bring down or cause to fall by shaking
  2. to cause to settle by shaking
  3. to test or condition (new equipment, etc.)
  4. ☆ Slang to extort money from, as by blackmail

shake hands

to clasp each other's hand as a token of agreement or friendship, or in parting or greeting

shake off

  1. to get away from or rid of (an undesirable person or thing)
  2. to reject (a suggestion, request, etc.)

shake up

  1. to shake, esp. so as to mix, blend, or loosen
  2. to disturb or rouse by or as by shaking
  3. to jar or shock
  4. to redistribute or reorganize by or as by shaking
shake Synonyms

shake

n.

tremble, shiver, pulsation; see movement 1, 2.

no great shakes*

failure, mediocrity, ordinary; see failure 1, 2.

shake Synonyms

shake

v.

  1. To vibrate

    tremble, quiver, quake, shiver, shudder, palpitate, waver, fluctuate, reel, flap, flutter, totter, thrill, wobble, stagger, waggle; see also wave 1, 3.

  2. To cause to vibrate

    agitate, rock, sway, swing, joggle, jolt, jounce, bounce, brandish, jar, move, flourish, set in motion, convulse.

shake Usage Examples

Object

  • hand: Tell them they are to shake hands with at least six people.
  • stick: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister More house market stats than you can shake a stick at.
  • fist: There's more great photos of the gig here than you could shake a fist at.
  • foundation: Suddenly, there was a strong earthquake that shook the foundation of the jail.
  • vial: Shake the vial and pour out the contents inside, the metal filings have changed to GOLD filings!
  • dust: Warsaw has shaken the dust from its hair and has slicked it to impress.

Converse of object

  • minimize: The NV7 has built-in OPS, an optical anti-shake technology, to minimize camera shake and to deliver clearer resolution.

Subject

  • ordeal: The two employees were left shaken by the ordeal.
  • earthquake: There are even moments of drama when the county has been covered with clouds of volcanic ash and shaken by earthquakes.

Noun used with modifier

  • camera: This camera also has optical image stabilization to help combat blur caused by camera shake.
  • milk: For coffee milk shake, use coffee ice cream, or substitute vanilla or coffee syrup.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • off: I seem to have shaken off the dream now.

Particle object:

  • dust: The uproar lasted near an hour; when I told the poor wretches that I shook off the dust of my feet against them.

Preposition: with

  • fright: He told them to get out Nyap and Benjamin were shaking with fright.
  • laughter: I started shaking with laughter from the instrumental introduction to the song.
  • fear: Then he ran inside and, shaking with fear, fell down before Paul and Silas.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • off: Fast or slow, the stranger was not to be shaken off.

Preposition: like

  • leaf: She was shaking like a leaf in a force ten gale, somehow this made me feel worse.

Preposition: by

  • ordeal: The two employees were left shaken by the ordeal.
  • earthquake: There are even moments of drama when the county has been covered with clouds of volcanic ash and shaken by earthquakes.
shake Quotes

With ravished ears The monarch hears, Assumes the god, Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres.

—Dryden,John

It is easyöterribly easyöto shake a man's faith in himself.Totakeadvantage ofthattobreak a man'sspirit is devil's work.

—Shaw, George Bernard

War is a condition of progress; the whip-cut that prevents a country from going to sleep and forces satisfied mediocrity to shake off its apathy.

—Renan, (Joseph) Ernest

Now lap-dogs give themselves the rousing shake, And sleepless lovers, just at twelve, awake.

—Pope, Alexander

Browse dictionary entries near shake

  1. ‹ Shak
  2. ‹ shaitan
  3. ‹ Shahn
  4. ‹ Shahaptian
  5. ‹ Shah Jahan
  6. ‹ shah
  7. ‹ shagreen
  8. ‹ shaggymane
  9. ‹ shaggy dog (story)
  10. ‹ shaggy
  1. shake hands ›
  2. shake off ›
  3. shake-up ›
  4. shakedown ›
  5. shaken ›
  6. shakeout ›
  7. shaker ›
  8. shaker and mover ›
  9. Shakespeare ›
  10. Shakespearean ›