Meaning of shake in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions
  3. Noun
    1. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ʃeɪk/

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    UK accent Play button

  1. Verb

    shake

    Etymology

    Old English sc(e)acan (verb), of Germanic origin

    Definitions

    1. move or cause to move back and forth

    Examples

    • « The chemist shook the flask vigorously »
    • « My hands were shaking »

    Derived terms

  2. 2. move with or as if with a tremor

    Examples

    • « his hands shook »

    Derived terms

  3. 3. shake or vibrate rapidly and intensively

    Examples

    • « The old engine was juddering »
  4. 4. move back and forth or sideways

    Examples

    • « the ship was rocking »
    • « the tall building swayed »
    • « She rocked back and forth on her feet »

    Derived terms

  5. 5. undermine or cause to waver

    Examples

    • « my faith has been shaken »
    • « The bad news shook her hopes »
  6. 6. stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of

    Examples

    • « These stories shook the community »
    • « the civil war shook the country »

    Derived terms

  7. 7. get rid of

    Examples

    • « I couldn't shake the car that was following me »
  8. 8. bring to a specified condition by or as if by shaking

    Examples

    • « He was shaken from his dreams »
    • « shake the salt out of the salt shaker »
  9. 9. shake (a body part) to communicate a greeting, feeling, or cognitive state

    Examples

    • « shake one's head »
    • « She shook her finger at the naughty students »
    • « The old enemies shook hands »
    • « Don't shake your fist at me! »

    Derived terms

  10. Noun

    shake

    Definitions

    1. building material used as siding or roofing

    Derived terms

  11. 2. frothy drink of milk and flavoring and sometimes fruit or ice cream
  12. 3. a note that alternates rapidly with another note a semitone above it

    Derived terms

  13. 4. grasping and shaking a person's hand (as to acknowledge an introduction or to agree on a contract)

    Derived terms

  14. 5. reflex shaking caused by cold or fear or excitement

    Derived terms

  15. 6. causing to move repeatedly from side to side

    Derived terms

Famous quotes

  • « I'm a total protein shake junkie nerd. I get creative every morning - you never know what you're gonna get in my shake... fruit? Peanut butter? Ice-cream? »
    Christina Perri
  • « I forgot to shake hands and be friendly. It was an important lesson about leadership. »
    Lee Iacocca
  • « In a gentle way, you can shake the world. »
    Mahatma Gandhi
  • « Come, come, leave business to idlers, and wisdom to fools: they have need of 'em: wit be my faculty, and pleasure my occupation, and let father Time shake his glass. »
    William Congreve
  • « Take off your bedroom slippers. Put on your marching shoes,' he said, his voice rising as applause and cheers mounted. 'Shake it off. Stop complainin'. Stop grumblin'. Stop cryin'. We are going to press on. We have work to do. »
    Barack Obama

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