Shake (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

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verb (used without object), shook, shak·en, shak·ing.
  1. to move or sway with short, quick, irregular vibratory movements.
  2. to tremble with emotion, cold, etc.
  3. to become dislodged and fall (usually followed by off or down): Sand shakes off easily.
  4. to move something, or its support or container, briskly to and fro or up and down, as in mixing: Shake before using.
  5. to totter; become unsteady.
  6. to clasp another's hand in greeting, agreement, congratulations, etc.: Let's shake and be friends again.
  7. to execute a trill.
verb (used with object), shook, shak·en, shak·ing.
  1. to move (something or its support or container) to and fro or up and down with short, quick, forcible movements: to shake a bottle of milk.
  2. to brandish or flourish: to shake a stick at someone.
  3. to grasp (someone or something) firmly in an attempt to move or rouse by, or as by, vigorous movement to and fro: We shook the tree.
  4. to dislodge or dispense (something) by short, quick, forcible movements of its support or container: We shook nuts from the tree.
  5. to cause to sway, rock, totter, etc.: to shake the very foundations of society.
  6. to agitate or disturb profoundly in feeling: The experience shook him badly.
  7. to cause to doubt or waver; weaken: to shake one's self-esteem.
  8. to trill (a note).
  9. to mix (dice) by rolling in the palm of the hand before they are cast.
  10. to get rid of; elude: They tried to shake their pursuers.
noun
  1. an act or instance of shaking, rocking, swaying, etc.
  2. tremulous motion.
  3. a tremor.
  4. a state or spell of trembling, as caused by fear, fever, cold, etc.: I was up all night with a fever and the shakes.
  5. a disturbing blow; shock.
  6. milkshake.
  7. the act or a manner of clasping another's hand in greeting, agreement, etc.: He has a strong shake.
  8. chance or treatment; deal: a fair shake;a bum shake.
  9. a cast of the dice: He threw an eight on his last shake.
  10. something resulting from shaking.
  11. an earthquake.
  12. a fissure in the earth.
  13. an internal crack or fissure in timber.
  14. trill1 (def. 9).
  15. an instant:I'll be with you in a shake.
  16. a shingle or clapboard formed by splitting a short log into a number of tapered radial sections with a hatchet.
  17. (in an escapement) the distance between the nearer corner of one pallet and the nearest tooth of the escape wheel when the other pallet arrests an escape tooth.
  18. shaker (def. 2).
  19. a dance deriving from the twist.
  20. the dried leaves of the marijuana plant.
Verb Phrases
  1. shake down,
    • to cause to descend by shaking; bring down.
    • to cause to settle.
    • to condition; test: to shake down a ship.
    • to extort money from.
    • to search (someone), especially to detect concealed weapons.
  2. shake off,
    • to rid oneself of; reject.
    • to get away from; leave behind.
    • (of a pitcher) to indicate rejection of (a sign by the catcher for a certain pitch) by shaking the head or motioning with the glove.
  3. shake up,
    • to shake in order to mix or loosen.
    • to upset; jar.
    • to agitate mentally or physically: The threat of attack has shaken up the entire country.
Idioms
  1. of no particular ability; unimportant; common: As opera companies go, this one is no great shakes.
  2. shake a leg, Informal.
    • to hurry up; get a move on: You'd better shake a leg or we'll miss the first act.
    • to dance.
  3. hand (def. 80).
  4. shake one's head,
    • to indicate disapproval, disagreement, negation, or uncertainty by turning one's head from one side to the other and back: I asked him if he knew the answer, but he just shook his head.
    • to indicate approval, agreement, affirmation or acceptance by nodding one's head up and down.
  5. dust (def. 26).
  6. a very short time; a moment.
verb shakes, shaking, shook or shaken (ˈʃeɪkən)
  1. to move or cause to move up and down or back and forth with short quick movements; vibrate
  2. to sway or totter or cause to sway or totter
  3. to clasp or grasp (the hand) of (a person) in greeting, agreement, etc
  4. to clasp hands in greeting, agreement, etc
  5. to shake hands in agreement, reconciliation, etc
  6. to bring or come to a specified condition by or as if by shaking
  7. to wave or brandish
  8. to rouse, stir, or agitate
  9. to shock, disturb, or upset
  10. to undermine or weaken
  11. to mix (dice) by rattling in a cup or the hand before throwing
  12. to steal
  13. to escape from
  14. to perform a trill on (a note)
  15. to fare or progress; happen as specified
  16. to hurry: usually used in the imperative
  17. to tremble with fear or apprehension
  18. to indicate disagreement or disapproval by moving the head from side to side
  19. to depart gladly or with the intention not to return
noun
  1. the act or an instance of shaking
  2. a tremor or vibration
  3. a state of uncontrollable trembling or a condition that causes it, such as a fever
  4. a very short period of time; jiffy
  5. a shingle or clapboard made from a short log by splitting it radially
  6. a fissure or crack in timber or rock
  7. an instance of shaking dice before casting
  8. music another word for trill 1 (def. 1)
  9. a dance, popular in the 1960s, in which the body is shaken convulsively in time to the beat
  10. an informal name for earthquake
  11. short for milk shake
  12. of no great merit or value; ordinary
Shake (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

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