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单词 shake
释义

Definition of shake in English:

shake

verbshook, shaken ʃeɪkʃeɪk

  • 1no object (of a structure or area of land) tremble or vibrate.

    buildings shook in Sacramento and tremors were felt in Reno
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Houses shook violently and buildings collapsed from the quake and force of the explosion.
    • The area around that part of the Colony shook and vibrated.
    • The entire area shook from the attack, and I was sure Logan was cursing at me.
    • We ran to the end of the hall, the hotel shaking the whole time, and opened the door.
    • Before the operators could move, the command room shook violently, throwing many of them into the walls and to the floor.
    • I slammed the door behind me hard, the room shaking slightly.
    • Morgan braced himself as the process began; the whole room shook as the generators began churning out an unearthly hum.
    • Every building shook, from one end of the city to the other.
    • The whole area shook as pieces of the ceiling began to rain down on them.
    • The band room shook, causing many of the teen-aged girls in the flute section to shriek.
    • The last half of the sentence was said with a rage so great that the room shook violently, nearly throwing everyone off their balance.
    • A huge crashing noise came from outside, and the building shook.
    • His voice echoed in the apartment and Melanie felt as though the whole room shook.
    • The buildings shook violently and the ground trembled with its passing, and even the Dark Lord looked surprised.
    • Once again, the main building shook perilously.
    • The floor was vibrating, shaking, trembling, the light swinging, papers flying.
    • I stared around me in fright, as the walls of my rooms shook.
    • The room was shaking from the tremendous force the boy was showing.
    • The roof of the living room shook as the three girls ran across the hall and down the stairs.
    • Suddenly the room started shaking, then, with a violent jolt, it stopped.
    Synonyms
    vibrate, tremble, quiver, quake, shiver, shudder, judder, jiggle, wobble, rock, sway, swing, roll, oscillate
    convulse
    1. 1.1with object Cause to tremble or vibrate.
      a severe earthquake shook the area
      Example sentencesExamples
      • It made her chillingly uneasy, like an earthquake shaking the house.
      • All was quiet until the bird's flight path was suddenly cut short by a gigantic explosion that shook the very earth.
      • A planet-wide earthquake shook it as though someone were trying to throttle it.
      • The explosion shook the ground, sending both of the comrades to the ground.
      • On the bridge, the explosion nearly shook everyone to the deck.
      • The explosion shook the ground with a devastatingly loud noise, loud enough to wake up the dead.
      • The shock waves from the explosions shook the ground and the trees.
      • The kid shook his drink loosely, watching as the alcohol glisten in the ice cubes.
      • Her hand shook the glass and water spilled onto the tablecloth.
      • Just as he did so a loud explosion shook them almost off their feet and smoke poured out between the cracks in the elevator doors.
      • From the courtyard, the explosion of a grenade shook the house.
      • The King shook his glass a little, the wine spraying about, until finally he gave in.
      • When it moved, it shook his vital organs as if he was standing on an earthquake simulator in a geology museum, and when it spoke, his nerves jumped and jangled in his body.
      • Somewhere far behind came a loud explosion that shook the ground.
      • Suddenly there was a big explosion that shook the floor as Grant set off the bombs, followed by a great crash as the gates.
      • Ozone stink fills the hall and pounding hammers shake the wall.
      • The 9.0 earthquake that shook the earth under the Indian Ocean was an anomaly.
      • The explosion shook the fortress and hurled her to the floor.
      • He smiled, as another explosion shook the house.
      • As the group advanced forward the first explosion shook the monastery.
    2. 1.2 (of a person, part of the body, or the voice) tremble uncontrollably from a strong emotion.
      Luke was shaking with rage
      her voice shook with passion
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Bonnie insisted, her voice shaking with laughter.
      • I awoke with a start, tears coursing down my cheeks, my body shaking with sobs.
      • It yelped again and backed away, its body shaking with fear.
      • Her whole body was shaking with fright for her daughter.
      • She whispered again, her voice shaking with emotion as she realized who had brutally murdered her mother.
      • He could hear her voice shaking and her entire body was trembling before him.
      • His face was deeply red, verging on purple, and his voice was shaking with the effort not to shout.
      • My body started shaking with the memory and chills ran through my spine.
      • His voice was shaking with fury as he looked down at Larek, who was sitting in the mud trying to wipe the blood off his face.
      • Her whole body shook with fright and she had never been more scared in her life.
      • Her whole body shook with emotion as she strode blindly along some path.
      • My voice was shaking with anger, and my body went stiff as if I might snap at any given moment.
      • His body shook with a memory he had tried to forget, but the woman lying helpless on his couch was bringing it all back to him.
      • Tears spilt from gray eyes as Suki's body shook with uncontrolled emotion.
      • Her body shook with fury and tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
      • Elizabeth cried, her voice shaking with rage, ‘You're not fit to wipe his boots!’
      • Chance watched her for a few moments, her body shaking with emotion.
      • I repeat, my voice shaking with the effort of holding back my rage.
      • Her thin fingers wrapped around his elbows were shaking with the strong emotions.
      • Ivor yelled, voice shaking with anger and tears as he slammed down the receiver.
      Synonyms
      tremble, quiver, quake, shiver, shudder, shake like a leaf
      rare quave

  • 2with object Move (an object) up and down or from side to side with rapid, forceful, jerky movements.

    she stood in the hall and shook her umbrella
    Example sentencesExamples
    • I didn't know what that meant, but I knew little Goldie ‘died’ because I always shook his water bowl.
    • I moved my shoulders and shook my hips in a little dance as the run-in music started.
    • Debra lifted out the black bottle, shook it, held it up to the light.
    • He stood straight faced at the front of the stage, not moving and barely shaking the tambourine he held throughout the night.
    • Equal numbers of young women and men, often as couples, come out to see these ladies shake their stuff, and the atmosphere is one of racy hilarity.
    • I sit up in my bunk and swing my legs over the side, shaking my foot violently.
    • He shook his umbrella and took off his jumper, handing it to me.
    • He scowled at the now-empty bottle, shook it, and muttered something.
    • She had the same reaction I did, dropping to her knees and shaking her side to side.
    • Trey had slid into the house behind his uncle, shaking an umbrella dry, a brilliant grin on his face.
    • The year since the war has been one in which the pieces on the international chess board were violently shaken.
    • Today, shaking a chocolate milk product is likely to be unnecessary.
    • She shook the umbrella carefully, ensuring that no contamination made its way to the Princess, and stored it gently away.
    • Combine and shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a Highball or Collins glass with a sugared rim and filled with ice.
    • Sprinkle a very little water on top and shake the mixture lightly so that coarse lumps appear.
    • It's my sister's old one, and I've come to learn that if you move it or even shake it, the screen will flick off.
    • He picked her up playfully, shaking her side from side before setting her down.
    • He shook the bottle as he turned it to read the side and frowned.
    • She grabbed at her stomach as forced laughter shook her sides.
    • And then the car flipped over tossing them into the side of something and shaking them about violently.
    Synonyms
    jiggle, joggle, wave from side to side
    agitate
    informal waggle
    1. 2.1with object and adverbial Remove (an object or substance) from something by movements of this kind.
      they shook the sand out of their shoes
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Rebecca shook the water from her eyes and glared at him.
      • Ben shook the snow from his hat and coat and hung them up.
      • As the two of them walked into the shed and out of the biting wind, she shook sand from her thin hair and switched the lights on.
      • She rolled her eyes and sat up, shaking the dirt and twigs from her soft fur.
      • He shook water droplets from his chocolate brown hair and put a dark gray vest over his black and gray striped sweater.
      • Although I was tired as well and the racket did not cease to grow heavier, I shook the sweat away and concentrated.
      • I bit my lip as I noticed that his hair was wet but not dripping, as if he'd just shaken the water droplets out.
      • He picked it up, shook the sand from it, and donned it.
      • I pulled my head up from underwater and gasped air, shaking water out of my hair in a spray of droplets.
      • Then, like a dog shaking water out of its ears, I snap out of it and run to the desk trying to block Jeff's line of vision with my body.
      • She started to cry for the first time in ages, quietly at first and then in huge racking sobs that shook dust from the ceiling.
      • She arose, striking her tattered dress to shake the dust and dirt from it.
      • A gentle breeze wafted through the air, rustling the dogwood trees and shaking sprays of rainwater from their branches.
      • Jim led the way down the hallway and up the stairs to their front door, shaking water off his jacket as he removed it.
      • There was a schlooping sound as he shook the coating of thick black oil from his fingers.
      • She shook the cloth from her forehead and turned her attention to the flame again, using it as a focal point, instead of the darkness all around.
      • Emerging again, she shook the moisture from her eyes.
      • Bucky walked next to his master, then shook the water and snow out of his hair.
      • I shook confectioner's sugar on top and brought the plates into the living room.
      • The young man spurted as he shook the water from his head.
    2. 2.2 Grasp (someone) and move them roughly to and fro, either in anger or to rouse them from sleep.
      with object and complement he gently shook the driver awake and they set off
      Example sentencesExamples
      • She felt someone grasp her arms and begin shaking her roughly.
      • She marched right over to his bed, whipped the blanket off him and shook him.
      • Camille shook Jacqueline violently, begging her to let her play.
      • She shook him a few times, then glanced back toward the woman.
      • He stirred as she shook her and looked up at him with watery eyes.
      • At 5 am, I was shaken awake from my sleep by the dissonant sound of drumbeats and jarring notes emerging from a defunct synthesizer.
      • After the woman shook me at the mall, I dropped my shopping bags.
      • When I came to it was to find myself on the floor with my orderly shaking me.
      • He was still asleep and I shook him gently awake and told him.
      • No one shook him, but he did hear someone calling his name.
      • He called out his name and shook him, but no response came.
      • The hand placed itself on my shoulder and slightly shook me.
      • What I testified to was once I did see him shake her and throw her.
      • After a few more moments of simply staring at the young man she smiled wide, grasping his shoulders and shaking him gently.
      • She shook her, and then felt the child's wrist for her pulse.
      • So you want to shake people and just say, look, you've just - you've got this amazing gift.
      • She shook Jason by the shoulders and he stirred a little, but did not wake up.
      • They ran over to him and shook him, attempting to wake him.
      • Vince pulled the covers down from my shoulders and shook me.
      • I thrashed about and shook him until his eyes wearily opened.
    3. 2.3 Brandish in anger or as a warning; make a threatening gesture with.
      men shook their fists and shouted
      Example sentencesExamples
      • She shook her fists to the heavens at the injustice of it all.
      • Just to be ornery, Mike tooted again and the old man shook a fist.
      • One of the merchants shook a fist at her and yelled something and she waved back at him grinning.
      • Mrs Johnstone shook her fist as the car sped away.
      • He raved, he cursed, he shook his fists in my face, and then suddenly a horrible spasm passed over his features, he clapped his hand to his side, and with a loud cry he fell in a heap at my feet.
      • Glen shook his fist in mock anger, and was answered by another stuck-out-tongue.
      • I moved backwards slightly, almost from reflex, and he shook his bottle at me again.
      • I shook my cereal packet at her in mock-anger, which turned out to be a stupid idea since it was still quite full.
      • Governments that desire otherwise can only shake their fist in anger.
      • He raised a dripping fist and shook it at the departing boat with a wordless screech, only to splutter again as he went under once more.
      • He raised an eyebrow and she shook a fist at him playfully, giggling at herself.
      • He'd given up questioning his Maker long ago, stopped shaking his fist toward the sky in anger and disillusionment.
      • They shook their fist but yet did not do anything to stop me.
      • Beyond shaking one's fist at the sky in impotent rage, not much can be done for that stuff.
      • One of the men shook his fist and cursed at him, threatening to cut his throat if he did not leave.
      • At a lack of anything else to do, she shook a half-hearted fist at him threateningly, and the corner of his lips tipped up in a hint of a smile.
      • The noisy decamping of the occupying soccer army is often played against the backdrop of a portrait of this columnist shaking his fist.
      • To think, I used to live like an animal, subsisting purely on furiously shaking my fists at televisions and throttling newspapers.
      • He shook his fist at her, which, to his surprise, earned a real smile.
      • I turned before I left and shook my fist threateningly at him, then slammed his door.
      Synonyms
      brandish, wave, flourish, swing, wield
      raise
    4. 2.4informal Get rid of or put an end to.
      I couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was laughing at me
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Poor, poor Matt; he just can't seem to shake his feelings for her.
      • He found that he couldn't shake the feelings of guilt and depression when it comes to her.
      • It felt nice to be lusted after, to be an object of affection, but she still could not shake her fear of being loved.
      • I think at this point I'm never shaking my fear of eating with others, but I have actually improved.
      • She was very capable of protecting herself but even though I continually told myself this I could not shake the feeling of fear for my best friend.
      • But I could never shake off the loneliness that comes from being different from the majority.
      • I couldn't shake the feeling of wondering what made this clown so angry.
      • An interesting thought, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.
      • I felt relief run through me, and then shook the feeling away, telling myself that I really didn't care.
      • Still, she just couldn't shake the feeling that her loyalty will soon be tested to its limits.
      • But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen.
      • He's grown used to being cold and wet these past months, but he fears he will never shake the feeling of those waters closing over him.
      • He could never shake off his image as a somewhat effete elitist from America's prosperous northeast.
      • She tried in vain to break the restraints or shake off the helmet.
      • She shook the feeling of nostalgia and flicked back to their current hit.
      • He was excitedly imbued with overwhelming anticipation, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong.
      • I shook my head in disbelief, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had to do something about my actions, or rather my lack of action.
      • Unable to shake his disappointment, he flings his book bag onto the other side and takes a seat behind the wheel, slamming the door shut after him.
      • I couldn't shake the disappointment that he belonged to Emily.
      Synonyms
      give up, break, get out of, abandon, end, escape from

  • 3with object Upset the composure or confidence of; shock or astonish.

    rumours of a further loss shook the market
    the boy was visibly shaken
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The art market was shaken by reports of great numbers of fraudulent Dali prints.
    • The student was quite shaken and claimed that if the situation escalated further, she would be on the next bus home.
    • Many people are shaken by a sense of vulnerability, and nobody can tell how all this will finish.
    • And she was holding my hand underneath this desk because she was obviously shaken by that whole Los Angeles experience.
    • He was still shaken from being tossed across the room, so he did not land on his feet.
    • Everyone was running in or out, and the students who'd managed to sneak in or had avoided being kicked out were visibly shaken.
    • The town was shocked and shaken by a very horrible tragedy.
    • I was shaken that night by the thought of how close Jamaica came to losing two of its most promising new artistic voices.
    • This showing of contempt had an obvious effect on Edwards, who was visibly shaken.
    • I was personally shaken by it and wasn't in the mood to write much of anything.
    • For the next two nights, Kimmel was visibly shaken and uncomfortable.
    • The birds, butterflies, and stylized ivy in beautiful pastel shook me to my core.
    • At the house, every light was burning and Julia was almost immediately at the door to meet them, visibly shaken by her husband's absence.
    • Seriously, this is one of the half dozen scenes in the series that shakes me to my core every single time I watch it.
    • In any event, the composer was badly shaken during this era, which probably hastened his death in 1950.
    • Fisher was visibly shaken; he turned and walked off toward Diego.
    • Sets of stills have emerged clearly indicating that even though he was badly shaken, George did make a systematic record of their experiences.
    • A publicist arrives to announce Drew is visibly shaken.
    • He was shaken and very angry, and even though he wasn't hurt, it was very scary for my son and his wife.
    • So, he breaks down the film to include six shorter stories, each delivered with one hard punch that shakes you in your seat.
    Synonyms
    upset, distress, disturb, unsettle, perturb, disconcert, discompose, disquiet, unnerve, trouble, take aback, throw off balance, agitate, fluster
    shock, alarm, frighten, scare, worry, dismay
    informal rattle, get to, do someone's head in
    North American informal mess with someone's head
    weaken, undermine, damage, impair, harm, hurt, injure, have a bad effect on
    reduce, diminish, decrease, lessen
    1. 3.1with object and adverbial Cause a change of mood or attitude by shocking or disturbing (someone)
      if the bombing cannot shake the government out of its complacency, what will?
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The chime of the Hub Tower clock shook her from her practice.
      • Someone stepping on his foot shook him to reality again, Sally's big eyes willed him to stay in focus, but he just couldn't.
      • Jason grabbed her arm roughly, his grasp startling her and shaking her from her thoughts.
      • He looked genuinely confused for a moment, and then visibly shook himself.
      • So what may finally shake the UK stock market out of its rut?
      • Pretty soon she jumped over to the other side, and I shook myself out of my stupor and climbed hurriedly.
noun ʃeɪkʃeɪk

  • 1An act of shaking.

    she gave her red curls a vehement shake
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The girl gave a polite shake of the head declining the tea, but took the proffered chair.
    • After looking at the mild shake throughout the movie, the suddenly stable image will stick right out to you.
    • After draining them, he would put them back in the pan, add a handful of salt, and give them a shake.
    • I dimly noticed that Jay refused both breakfast and dinner through silent shakes of his head while I ate them mechanically, never tasting them.
    • Adam felt a gentle shake and jumped, surprised to see his father sitting next to him.
    • She gave herself a mental shake and turned back to the task at hand.
    • She could hardly hear him through the shake of the earpiece in her hands.
    • She added a bit of a shake to her voice to make it sound more realistic, and though Barbara eyed her skeptically, she accepted the story.
    • The tall teenager gave my hair a shake and caught up with Danny quickly.
    • Where another child would have been punished for the same stunts he pulled, his cheeky familiarity often earned him little more than soft chuckles and rueful shakes of the aged heads.
    • She thought of it as a nervous motion, or a shake of the muscles when the mind is relaxing, and dismissed it.
    • The racing driver technique of giving champagne a good shake and prising off the cork with two thumbs is about as dangerous as motor racing.
    • He gave a single shake of his head and knit his brow.
    • Quint offered coffee, but Caine declined with a shake of his head.
    • Camera shake is one of the most common flaws in any video production and yet it can easily be reduced.
    • He gives himself a little shake and then turns to Amelia.
    • I placed my hand in his, expecting a shake, but he surprised me by bringing my hand to his lips and placing a butterfly kiss on my knuckles.
    • The walls seemed to stretch and reach forever, but the young man just dispelled the image with a shake of his head.
    • Tanya gave the glass container a few good shakes.
    • Christian cradled her small body, feeling her shakes and shivers.
    Synonyms
    jiggle, joggle, jerk
    informal waggle
    flourish, brandish, wave
    1. 1.1 An amount of something that is sprinkled by shaking a container.
      add a few shakes of sea salt and black pepper
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I mixed all these together with the conch, a tablespoon of fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt, and a few shakes of Tabasco.
      • Stir in a shake of sesame oil, the sugar, garlic and the chopped mint.
      • Tip handfuls of pale, hard goosegogs into a stainless steel pan and sprinkle them generously with unrefined golden sugar and a few good shakes of water - just enough to stop the fruit sticking.
      • Season clam juice or chicken stock with smashed garlic, grated ginger, a shot of sake and a few shakes of soy sauce.

  • 2the shakesinformal A fit of trembling or shivering.

    I wouldn't go in there, it gives me the shakes
    Example sentencesExamples
    • With all this re-hashing of old ideas, it seemed like reality shows had run their course in '04, making reality junkies like me start to get the shakes.
    • The steroid in the cocktail had the side effect of the shakes along with keeping his lungs alive.
    • And the shakes and sweats tend to make you look a lot crazier than you really are.
    • There was this unclean desire toward celebrity and media that still rages within us like the shakes in an alcoholic.
    • Get past the depression, the illness, the shakes and diarrhea.
    • She rested her head against the cold hard glass, then suddenly got the shakes about what could have been smeared on these windows, and by whom over the years, and she pulled herself up sharply.
    • It's so close that we're starting to get the shakes.
    • So you're interested in turning your PC into a digital video recorder, but the notion of opening your computer to install a TV-tuner card gives you the shakes.
    • My body had sailed smoothly through the birth, but I was humbled when it reacted afterward with a high temperature and the shakes.
    • Whatever he had planned for him today, he doubted that the shakes and a cold sweat would go over well.
    • Every time I went back to the hometown, my stomach turned into knots, I couldn't eat or sleep, and I got the shakes.
    • Danny accepts it with a grateful nod and drinks a long draught, trying to banish the shakes from his body.
    • Edie gasped for breath, giving in to the shakes, hanging on to the float like it was her whole world.
    • By some small miracle, his leg had gone undamaged, but he had since contracted a severe case of the shakes.
    • The topic of depth of field tends to give the shakes to many beginning photographers, but the concept is actually very simple.
    Synonyms
    a fit of trembling, delirium tremens, tremors
    the horrors
    informal the DTs, the jitters, the willies, the heebie-jeebies, the jim-jams, the jumps, the yips
    Australian rhyming slang Joe Blakes

  • 3

    short for milkshake
    Example sentencesExamples
    • At some point add a strawberry shake to take you to 247 percent of saturated fat and 166 percent of sodium.
    • In the morning, I was supposed to drink a barium shake to light up my insides for a scan.
    • But mandarins take center stage, with a mandarin-themed recipe contest, mandarin shakes, even mandarin trees for sale.
    • As the years passed, she ate deep-fried chicken nuggets, fried fish sandwiches, double-fisted burgers with cheese and sauce and bacon, French fries and chocolate shakes.
    • I'll have chicken and pasta for dinner, plus a few protein shakes.
    • He gave his head a quick shake and drank the rest of his wine.
    • Instead, she drank as much of her shake as she possibly could, and then went back to work on her main course.
    • For the honeycomb shake: In a small saucepan, bring milk and cream to a boil.
    • If you choose to sell nutritional products (supplements, energy drinks, shakes, bars, etc.) you need to know what you're doing.
    • The beverages at our first Beverly Hills restaurant were basic - shakes, malts, iced tea.
    • It's used in fruit shakes in Laos, coffee in Thailand and Vietnam and in America it's the corner stone for Florida's Key Lime Pie.
    • And he preferred their shakes to their coffee.
    • I am driving up the M1 and, with just a double breakfast egg McMuffin and a vanilla shake inside me, I'm thinking about lunch.
    • A chocolate shake was a surprise for not driving your mother crazy that particular day.
    • It sells burgers - single or double - fries, sodas, and shakes.
    • Staff will make shakes, cappuccinos and lattes with organic cow's milk or soy milk, or with almond milk for customers who are allergic to soy.
    • For instance, one of his male clients drank two soy shakes and ate a couple of bars daily.
    • And like so many others, she found that yo-yo dieting, popping diet pills, drinking fitness shakes, and cutting out food groups doesn't help to shed pounds.
    • The menu also features salmon, beer can chicken, large shakes and specialty margaritas.
    • The meals were high in protein and low in sugar, often including egg whites, oatmeal, chicken, veggies, and meal-replacement shakes.

  • 4informal An earth tremor.

    Synonyms
    earthquake, earth tremor, aftershock, convulsion
    informal quake
    North American informal tremblor

  • 5Music
    A trill.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • But he also interprets the shaking in musical terms using tremolos and trills, which can themselves be described as shakes.

  • 6North American A kind of rough wooden shingle, used especially on rustic buildings.

    cedar shakes
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Slide the saddle, or top flashing, underneath both shingles or shakes and the roofing felt.
    • I was planning on applying a wood protector and wondering if there is there an application that will make it looks nice and protects the cedar shakes.
    • If you have chosen to use a rigid roofing (metal, wood shakes or shingles, tile, etc.) you can use 1 x 4 slats instead.
    • A combination blade is best for cutting through wood shingles or shakes.
    • Ice and water protection can be used under any type of roofing, including three-tab and laminated composition shingles, wood shingles and shakes, and all types of tile.
    • She made the roofs of her first bird houses from scrap wood or shakes (cedar shingles).
    • It is also available in common lumber and plywood sizes, as well as shakes and shingles for roofing and sidewall applications.
    • Now sheathed in cedar shakes and fronted by a large wraparound deck, the structure bears not a hint of its former ho-hum self.
    • Every window had been replaced, the panes gleaming, and the roof had been re-shingled with cedar shakes.
    • The shingles are wooden shakes that, apart from the new sections, are greyed from the elements and the outside paintjob is a cream colour with green trim.
    • Hoss bent and tied the rope around the small pile of cedar shakes at his feet.
    • On the exterior, they replaced the fiberglass wall shingles with stained cedar shakes and put in oversized, divided-light windows.
    • Having left Rose working mightily away at fastening shakes to her roof, he was giving himself a workout on the oars, something he'd always enjoyed.
    • If you are using shingles or shakes: Cut the quantity needed, uniformly 3 to 5 inches wide.
    • Cedar shakes and shingles are, of course, natural wood.
    • For summer rain, trellising can be covered with shingles, shakes, reed fencing bamboo, window screens, louvers, canvas, glass or plastic.
    • The neat frame building bore a skin of immaculate white clapboard, the tall, pyramidal steeple above the front door shingled with new cedar shakes.

Phrases

  • get (or give someone) a fair shake

    • informal Get (or give someone) just treatment or a fair chance.

      I do not believe he gave the industry a fair shake
      Example sentencesExamples
      • People who think it's all twee warbling over burbly synths just aren't giving them a fair shake.
      • And given the opportunity to see the evidence, they're going to come to their own conclusion and, I hope, give him a fair shake.
      • So, is the president getting a fair shake from the American media?
      • I mean, a lot of money, time and effort go into these new shows, so I want to give them a fair shake before I start putting my journalistic weight behind them or pushing them off the air with a sharp barb.
      • Do you feel like there are journalists who are biased against you and don't necessarily give you a fair shake?
      • They are not getting a fair shake, are they?
      • I just wanted you to know that some of us would rather give you a fair shake than rush to be the first to jump off the ship in the face of a rocky wave.
      • I only bring this up to make the point that I really did give them a fair shake - hell, I own four of their albums.
      • So, if we want the Yanks to keep coming over here, we should give them a fair shake - not a shakedown.
      • It might prevent some paper from getting a fair shake, but it is fair (or at least equally unfair).

  • in two shakes (of a lamb's tail)

    • informal Very quickly.

      I'll be back to you in two shakes
      Example sentencesExamples
      • ‘You jist take a seat, young ‘un, an’ I'll be with you in two shakes.‘
      • No, my dear, Nell and I will be happy to drop you off since we're already going that way, so just sit yourself down, have a Poptart and we'll all be ready to go in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
      • Having a broadband connection means that, as consumers, we can enjoy instant e-mail, watch live television on our PCs, or download music and large files in two shakes of a lamb's tail!
      • But if we don't wind up the engineer, he'll be here in two shakes…
      • Thomas chuckled and informed the ladies, ‘He'll be here in two shakes,’ as he stepped past to help the kitchen staff with final preparations.
      • When you wake up in the morning, you start looking at the problem again and in two shakes of a duck's tail, you've figured out the solution.
      • Well, I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail with some antiseptic.
      • She had sterilized a needle in two shakes of a lamb's tail, and began about the dirty work.
      • Compare with a semi-auto that can spit out a handful of rounds in two shakes of the proverbial lamb's tail.
      Synonyms
      in a moment, in a second, in a flash, in a minute, shortly, any minute, any minute now, in a short time, soon, very soon, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, in no time, in less than no time, in no time at all, before you know it, before long

  • more — than one can shake a stick at

    • informal Used to emphasize the largeness of an amount.

      a team with more experience than you can shake a stick at
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I get bored easily, and I change my clothes a lot, so I've had more careers than you can shake a stick at.
      • A non-stop barrage of clichés, denim, magnum 45s and bad facial hair, this highly technical show contains a completely original music score, brilliant lighting, pyrotechnics and more gags than you can shake a stick at.
      • By day two this team were cranking out more new ideas than you could shake a stick at.
      • It was a bad action film, bad comedy & contained more stereotypes than you could shake a stick at.
      • He's flip-flopped on more issues than you can shake a stick at!
      • I think before you can be critical of the design of hospitals and sometimes the lack of, you have to remember the atmosphere that surrounds healthcare, lawsuits a plenty, more regulations than you can shake a stick at, and lack of funding.
      • ‘I was very scared because I thought it was going to be chock full of people with more degrees than you could shake a stick at,’ she said.
      • When my parents arrived, we found ourselves introduced to more cousins than you can shake a stick at, most of them so many times removed you can barely detect them.
      • The ‘greatest living designer in all the Americas’ has created a dizzying number of products, as well as more prototypes than you can shake a stick at.
      • After an auspicious debut this time last year, the Pop Montreal festival returns with more shows than you can shake a stick at.

  • no great shakes

    • informal Not very good or significant.

      it is no great shakes as a piece of cinema
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He was no great shakes in the House of Commons, and never pretended to be.
      • Technically it is sufficient, but no great shakes.
      • ‘The film itself is no great shakes,’ said the San Jose Mercury News.
      • As it turns out, we find a nice, pleasant, amusing little buddy-cop comedy - no great shakes, no real moments of brilliance, but consistent amusement throughout.
      • The steak et frites, despite being a star dish (there's even a neon ‘steak et frites’ sign outside), was no great shakes.
      • The beach itself is no great shakes, but it's easy to find a spot to yourself and the unrestricted view of the sea, punctuated by fishing boats anchored in the surf, is quite beautiful.
      • It's no great shakes, but it lets me know what to expect.
      • Truth be told, Billy is no great shakes as a boxer.
      • The six-year-old is no great shakes, but she will not need to be to win this modest ten furlongs event, and her three recent respectable efforts in defeat stand her in good stead.
      • And even allowing that some of it may have been lost in the opening night fog, the movement in Mr. Lear is no great shakes.
      Synonyms
      not very good, undistinguished, unmemorable, forgettable, unexceptional, uninspired, uninspiring, uninteresting, indifferent, unimpressive, lacklustre

  • shake the dust off one's feet

    • Leave indignantly or disdainfully.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • No, you just have to kind of, like our Lord said, kind of shake the dust off your feet and walk away.
      • When you are discussing it, at what point do you ‘shake the dust off your feet’ and move on?
      • If, after a period of time, there is no response, then they shake the dust off their feet and move on.
      • But as we approached the end of that period, with no obvious fruit, we were almost ready to ‘shake the dust off our feet’.

  • shake hands (with someone)

    • Clasp someone's right hand in one's own at meeting or parting, in reconciliation or congratulation, or as a sign of agreement.

      we shook hands on the promise
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The first time I met Kevin, he shook my hand when I arrived and again when I left, and remembered me from the previous week when I couldn't have picked him out of a lineup.
      • I think he did a hell of a job; and I was the first one to congratulate him and shake his hand when he gave that argument.
      • I just waited my turn and shook his hand and congratulated him on the show.
      • But at a recent game, one of the newest players, Darius Miles, came over to shake the owner 's hand, a sign of respect and appreciation that seems to matter to Allen.
      • I and many of the students were delighted to shake his hand and congratulate him.
      • People came up and shook my hand, congratulating me, and welcoming me.
      • He shook Matt 's hand and then clasped Sarah's hand for a moment.
      • ‘I shook his hand and congratulated him even though it was through gritted teeth,’ he laughed.
      • Ken Ferrari looked towards me, shaking my hand in congratulations.
      • Dom laughed and shook Ash 's hand in agreement to the bet.

  • shake one's head

    • Turn one's head from side to side in order to indicate refusal, denial, disapproval, or incredulity.

      she shook her head in disbelief
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Inside, she felt like shaking her head in disapproval but she knew not to in a time like this.
      • Ben stared up at the turquoise sky blankly, then, slowly, he shook his head from side to side.
      • Looking straight at Josh, George shakes his head from side to side while holding an index finger up to his lips.
      • He offered me another sandwich, but I shook my head and indicated I was full.
      • Now, I have to go think of new ways to make my relatives shake their head in disapproval at me.
      • Staring at him, Rena shakes her head in disapproval and sets her fork down.
      • Then he sat heavily back on the bench and shook his head from side to side, making known his disgust.
      • When she laid her hand on her grey suedes, she could see him shaking his head in disapproval.
      • I looked up and smiled, shaking my head, indicating for him not to worry, to just forget it.
      • He shook his head and indicated that I should follow him into the living room.

  • shake (or quake) in one's shoes (or boots)

    • Tremble with apprehension.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • I on the other hand, am totally afraid, practically shaking in my boots.
      • What happened to the suspense of last year, when juniors-to-be were shaking in their boots, not knowing where they would live the next year?
      • Sometime in the early 90s the Australian hot shop delivered a manifesto that was so radical it had the old guard of advertisers shaking in their boots.
      • They gave ultimatums, including the ever-present cloud of separatism, that had the Feds shaking in their boots.
      • They understood that if everybody is really shaking in their boots about this man's conflict of interest over six years, no one seemed to do anything about it.
      • Now, the conspirators out there, yes, they are shaking in their boots, because they know we know.
      • Are ad makers shaking in their shoes when they think about the impact of globalisation and the assertive entry of agencies and influences from abroad?
      • From now on, directors and remuneration committees in boardrooms across Britain would be shaking in their boots.
      • She seemed more perturbed and bemused than shaking in her boots.
      • It's the guys who don't give a sugar who should be shaking in their boots.

  • shake a leg

    • informal as imperativeMake a start; rouse oneself.

      come on, shake a leg
      Synonyms
      hurry up, get a move on, be quick, speed up

Phrasal Verbs

  • shake down

    • Become established in a new place or situation; settle down.

      it was disruptive to the industry as it was shaking down after deregulation
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Both this case and the Sterling case are shaking down as classic struggles between academic integrity and the power and influence of big business on university campuses.
      • The Usher Hall, normally so Edwardian, upright and slightly stuffy, slips off its tiara and shakes down to something a bit more comfortable.
      • How that sentiment will shake down Monday, not even Cummins pretends to know.
      • It will be instructive to see how the piece shapes up as it shakes down.
      • Stay tuned because something has to shake down, and soon.
      • As the dairy industry shakes down because of all this, there are winners and there are losers, and there are those who are hanging in there against all the odds because it's simply too hard or too heartbreaking to get out.
      • He expects the industry to shake down to four or five major players.
      • In some cultures, indeed, it is the norm for the original couple to shake down into something that is more companionship and shared interest than passion, and the men, at least, are allowed to establish a sex life elsewhere.
      • The ‘facts’ will come fast and furious from now till then; you'll be told which issues are most important to you, how you'll vote, and how the whole thing will shake down a hundred different times and ways.

  • shake someone down

    • Extort money from someone.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • They even came by his desk and shook him down for the money.
      • It's all about the government inserting itself, and shaking us down financially, in every conceivable area of our lives.
      • When I told them I didn't have any money coming in, they used to shake Colleen down after they'd seen me leave the apartment.
      • I knew what he was doing: he was shaking me down.
      • And the responsibility stops there, and the solution to every wrong created in the society is not to rush into a court and see if we cane shake somebody down for a bunch of money?
      • She didn't shake me down for lunch money or even touch me.
      • But you don't want to see them come alongside your boat, head up out of the water with that big fish-eatin’ grin, to shake you down for a snack.
      • And our concerns that perhaps some of the princes were shaken down by blackmail to provide funds that have fueled a very large-scale international terrorist network.
      • How about taking on the textbook industry and their conspiracy to shake the American public down?
      • They took him to the station and shook him down for a $40,000 bribe.

  • shake someone off

    • Manage to evade or outmanoeuvre someone who is following or pestering one.

      he thought he had shaken off his pursuer
      Example sentencesExamples
      • An anxious-looking lady followed me relentlessly down a street; I tried to shake her off by suddenly crossing the road, pretending to look in a reject china shop.
      • He tried to shake her off but couldn't quite manage it.
      • But much to the Americans' surprise, the Eurofighter shook them off, outmanoeuvred them and moved into shooting positions on their tails.
      • He was making exaggerated movements with the car to try and shake me off.
      • When she finally came out, Narcissus shook her off and told her she is no different from the other nymphs who kiss him and say they love him when they see him.
      • If by some chance you attract un-cool people, you manage to shake them off with your rapier wit.
      • The plane I was following must have noticed I was because it tried to shake me off.
      • I soon regretted my decision to walk to class with Dan, but managed to shake him off as he entered his classroom.
      • Felix had managed to shake her off within seconds of arriving at the camp, citing supervision measures.
      • The youth shook him off, then followed the lieutenant down the front line.
      Synonyms
      get away from, escape, elude, give someone the slip, leave behind, throw off, throw off the scent, dodge, lose, get rid of, rid oneself of

  • shake something off

    • Successfully deal with or recover from.

      Sheedy has shaken off a calf injury
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Is it possible that perceptions and prejudices formed over millennia are shaken off in one go?
      • My friend the Giant Swede was one of those sorts in his youth, but he shook it off.
      • He shook the memory off and looked at Jonas warily.
      • I shook it off as Mario and I dealt with the last of the guards in the area.
      • Before today, every time Sophie visited this memory, she shook it off as coincidence.
      • A strange thought had wormed its way into my mind and I was unable to shake it off.
      • Your ego was bruised by a former flame, and you're having trouble shaking it off.
      • We do not have to settle for every misery fate and humanity have heaped upon us, but should fight back, to see which ones can be shaken off.
      • Later, even critics lauded him for his agility in the dance sequences, little realising that it was a man in pain shaking it off, all for his fans.
      • With that, Sam shook the memory off and turned her horse around.
      Synonyms
      recover from, get over, get better after

  • shake on

    • Confirm (an agreement) by shaking hands.

      they shook on the deal
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Rumours abound that the Kiwi might be persuaded to stay on in Scotland, but once a man of his integrity shakes on a deal it is hard to imagine him backing out.
      • He remembers Ferguson staring up at him as they shook on the deal.
      • Cowen is also well-regarded, perceived as a straight-talker and one who will stick to an agreement once he shakes on it.
      • The room was silent as Lee and I shook on the agreement, than it suddenly came to life as the guys blurted out in a cheer.
      • The two shook on an agreement long ago where Durst pays Biddle a small base salary, plus extras for other tasks.
      • Blaise took his hand as they shook on the agreement.
      • When leaving Nottingham Forrest, he supposedly agreed to join Blackburn, shook on the deal and then switched to Manchester United and automatically fell out with the Scotsman.
      • He held out his hand, palm up as if offering to shake on a deal.
      • This guards against bully-boy tactics such as where a more senior party from the other side arrives to rubbish the deal just as their subordinate is poised to shake on it.
      • Abbas and Sharon shake on the latest peace agreement.

  • shake something out

    • 1Get rid of or abandon an attitude or practice.

      we are going to shake out the old attitudes

    • 2Sailing
      Unwind or untie a reef to increase the area of a sail.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Indeed, given his own preferences, Holderman thought he might actually have reduced sail, or at least left the night's reefs in rather than shaking them out, if only to give himself a little more time to avoid any ice his lookouts spotted.

  • shake someone up

    • Rouse someone from lethargy, apathy, or complacency.

      he had to do something to shake the team up—we lacked spark
      Example sentencesExamples
      • This really shook Mel up and caused him to ask himself if his life was going in the right direction.
      • It certainly made me want to shake him up at times and say, come on, Stevens, have a life…
      • He told him the manager's criticism was for the good of the team, that his words were designed to shake him up, not put him down.
      • To have someone love me like that was utterly incredible for me, and it shook me up.
      • I like the Telegraph but, despite doctor's advice, get the Independent and Guardian a couple of times a week to shake me up and let the descendants get a different world view from my rants.
      • In desperation I invented a reason to drive over to Minehead, thinking that the hustle and bustle of the town would shake me up, get me going again.
      • The Beagle 2 is to address a question that could equally shake us up and our view of ourselves and the universe.
      • I'm still happy and all, but something happened today that shook me up.
      Synonyms
      put some life into, enliven, put some spark into, liven up, stir up, rouse, get going

  • shake something up

    • 1Mix ingredients by shaking.

      use soap flakes shaken up in the water to make bubbles

    • 2Make radical changes to the organization or structure of an institution or system.

      he presented plans to shake up the legal profession
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Being the on-the-edge kind of person he is, Terry cannot help but shake things up in Sammy's very ordered and well structured household.
      • It is about time the flooring industry was shaken up and customers were considered, and that was the motivation in combining the best technology and old - fashioned service to deliver huge reductions and a better way to buy flooring.
      • There is no shortage of proposals and initiatives to shake the system up.
      • Finally, it must be commented upon: kudos go to organizers for having the guts and ingenuity to shake things up a bit.
      • Perhaps the company will shake things up a bit when it does a consumer launch, planned for the fourth quarter.
      • I didn't expect it, though I probably should've, but Logan was formulating some plans for how to shake things up with my social life as well.
      • Still, I've been thinking, if you're going to shake this thing up, maybe my initial plan didn't go far enough.
      • Does that mean that he has plans to shake things up on the Max Bell stage?
      • Since the start of last year the portfolio line-up has been shaken up from time to time.
      • It's about time the health service was shaken up though time will tell whether it will be a success.
      Synonyms
      reorganize, restructure, revolutionize, alter dramatically, make far-reaching changes in, transform, reform, overhaul, update

Derivatives

  • shakeable

    • adjective

Origin

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

  • Early examples of shake, an Old English word, include not only the senses ‘to tremble’ and ‘to make something vibrate’ but also the poetical sense ‘to depart or flee’. The Shakers are members of a US religious sect, properly called the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Coming, which split off from the Quakers (properly called the Religious Society of Friends) in the mid 18th century. Participants in the group's services engaged in wild ecstatic movements, and people called them the Shaking Quakers. They were persecuted for their radicalism, and in 1774 left for America, where they lived frugally in celibate communities and made furniture noted for its simplicity and elegance. People sometimes think of the spy James Bond as being shaken not stirred, but the phrase refers to his drink, not to his temperament. In Dr No (1958) by Ian Fleming, Bond gave instructions on how he wanted his favourite tipple: ‘A medium vodka dry Martini—with a slice of lemon peel. Shaken and not stirred.’ Although Bond is usually described as being licensed to kill, the phrase does not occur in any of the original novels by Ian Fleming. ‘The licence to kill for the Secret Service, the double-0 prefix, was a great honour’, again from Dr No, was the closest approximation. In the 1962 film version it became ‘If you carry a 00 number it means you're licensed to kill, not get killed.’ No great shakes, meaning ‘not very good’, dates from the early 19th century. It probably comes from the shaking of dice, where an unlucky throw would be ‘no great shakes’

Rhymes

ache, awake, bake, betake, Blake, brake, break, cake, crake, drake, fake, flake, forsake, hake, Jake, lake, make, mistake, opaque, partake, quake, rake, sake, sheikh, slake, snake, splake, stake, steak, strake, take, undertake, wake, wideawake
verb.1
phr.
phr.v.
 
 

Definition of shake in US English:

shake

verbʃeɪkSHāk

  • 1no object (of a structure or area of land) tremble or vibrate.

    buildings shook in Sacramento and tremors were felt in Reno
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Every building shook, from one end of the city to the other.
    • I stared around me in fright, as the walls of my rooms shook.
    • Suddenly the room started shaking, then, with a violent jolt, it stopped.
    • The whole area shook as pieces of the ceiling began to rain down on them.
    • We ran to the end of the hall, the hotel shaking the whole time, and opened the door.
    • Before the operators could move, the command room shook violently, throwing many of them into the walls and to the floor.
    • The last half of the sentence was said with a rage so great that the room shook violently, nearly throwing everyone off their balance.
    • The floor was vibrating, shaking, trembling, the light swinging, papers flying.
    • Morgan braced himself as the process began; the whole room shook as the generators began churning out an unearthly hum.
    • The area around that part of the Colony shook and vibrated.
    • Once again, the main building shook perilously.
    • The room was shaking from the tremendous force the boy was showing.
    • Houses shook violently and buildings collapsed from the quake and force of the explosion.
    • His voice echoed in the apartment and Melanie felt as though the whole room shook.
    • I slammed the door behind me hard, the room shaking slightly.
    • A huge crashing noise came from outside, and the building shook.
    • The roof of the living room shook as the three girls ran across the hall and down the stairs.
    • The buildings shook violently and the ground trembled with its passing, and even the Dark Lord looked surprised.
    • The entire area shook from the attack, and I was sure Logan was cursing at me.
    • The band room shook, causing many of the teen-aged girls in the flute section to shriek.
    Synonyms
    vibrate, tremble, quiver, quake, shiver, shudder, judder, jiggle, wobble, rock, sway, swing, roll, oscillate
    1. 1.1with object Cause to tremble or vibrate.
      a severe earthquake shook the area
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The explosion shook the ground, sending both of the comrades to the ground.
      • The explosion shook the fortress and hurled her to the floor.
      • All was quiet until the bird's flight path was suddenly cut short by a gigantic explosion that shook the very earth.
      • Her hand shook the glass and water spilled onto the tablecloth.
      • From the courtyard, the explosion of a grenade shook the house.
      • As the group advanced forward the first explosion shook the monastery.
      • The kid shook his drink loosely, watching as the alcohol glisten in the ice cubes.
      • When it moved, it shook his vital organs as if he was standing on an earthquake simulator in a geology museum, and when it spoke, his nerves jumped and jangled in his body.
      • He smiled, as another explosion shook the house.
      • A planet-wide earthquake shook it as though someone were trying to throttle it.
      • Just as he did so a loud explosion shook them almost off their feet and smoke poured out between the cracks in the elevator doors.
      • The explosion shook the ground with a devastatingly loud noise, loud enough to wake up the dead.
      • It made her chillingly uneasy, like an earthquake shaking the house.
      • The shock waves from the explosions shook the ground and the trees.
      • On the bridge, the explosion nearly shook everyone to the deck.
      • The King shook his glass a little, the wine spraying about, until finally he gave in.
      • Ozone stink fills the hall and pounding hammers shake the wall.
      • Somewhere far behind came a loud explosion that shook the ground.
      • Suddenly there was a big explosion that shook the floor as Grant set off the bombs, followed by a great crash as the gates.
      • The 9.0 earthquake that shook the earth under the Indian Ocean was an anomaly.
    2. 1.2 (of a person, a part of the body, or the voice) tremble uncontrollably from a strong emotion such as fear or anger.
      Luke was shaking with rage
      her voice shook with passion
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I repeat, my voice shaking with the effort of holding back my rage.
      • Her whole body shook with emotion as she strode blindly along some path.
      • Tears spilt from gray eyes as Suki's body shook with uncontrolled emotion.
      • Chance watched her for a few moments, her body shaking with emotion.
      • It yelped again and backed away, its body shaking with fear.
      • He could hear her voice shaking and her entire body was trembling before him.
      • Her whole body shook with fright and she had never been more scared in her life.
      • His body shook with a memory he had tried to forget, but the woman lying helpless on his couch was bringing it all back to him.
      • Ivor yelled, voice shaking with anger and tears as he slammed down the receiver.
      • His voice was shaking with fury as he looked down at Larek, who was sitting in the mud trying to wipe the blood off his face.
      • Elizabeth cried, her voice shaking with rage, ‘You're not fit to wipe his boots!’
      • Bonnie insisted, her voice shaking with laughter.
      • My body started shaking with the memory and chills ran through my spine.
      • Her whole body was shaking with fright for her daughter.
      • She whispered again, her voice shaking with emotion as she realized who had brutally murdered her mother.
      • His face was deeply red, verging on purple, and his voice was shaking with the effort not to shout.
      • My voice was shaking with anger, and my body went stiff as if I might snap at any given moment.
      • Her body shook with fury and tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
      • Her thin fingers wrapped around his elbows were shaking with the strong emotions.
      • I awoke with a start, tears coursing down my cheeks, my body shaking with sobs.
      Synonyms
      tremble, quiver, quake, shiver, shudder, shake like a leaf

  • 2with object Move (an object) up and down or from side to side with rapid, forceful, jerky movements.

    she stood in the hall and shook her umbrella
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The year since the war has been one in which the pieces on the international chess board were violently shaken.
    • I sit up in my bunk and swing my legs over the side, shaking my foot violently.
    • Sprinkle a very little water on top and shake the mixture lightly so that coarse lumps appear.
    • He scowled at the now-empty bottle, shook it, and muttered something.
    • Trey had slid into the house behind his uncle, shaking an umbrella dry, a brilliant grin on his face.
    • He stood straight faced at the front of the stage, not moving and barely shaking the tambourine he held throughout the night.
    • Debra lifted out the black bottle, shook it, held it up to the light.
    • He shook the bottle as he turned it to read the side and frowned.
    • She grabbed at her stomach as forced laughter shook her sides.
    • He picked her up playfully, shaking her side from side before setting her down.
    • He shook his umbrella and took off his jumper, handing it to me.
    • I didn't know what that meant, but I knew little Goldie ‘died’ because I always shook his water bowl.
    • Today, shaking a chocolate milk product is likely to be unnecessary.
    • Combine and shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a Highball or Collins glass with a sugared rim and filled with ice.
    • And then the car flipped over tossing them into the side of something and shaking them about violently.
    • I moved my shoulders and shook my hips in a little dance as the run-in music started.
    • She had the same reaction I did, dropping to her knees and shaking her side to side.
    • Equal numbers of young women and men, often as couples, come out to see these ladies shake their stuff, and the atmosphere is one of racy hilarity.
    • It's my sister's old one, and I've come to learn that if you move it or even shake it, the screen will flick off.
    • She shook the umbrella carefully, ensuring that no contamination made its way to the Princess, and stored it gently away.
    Synonyms
    jiggle, joggle, wave from side to side
    1. 2.1 Remove (an object or substance) from something by movements of this kind.
      they shook the sand out of their shoes
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Then, like a dog shaking water out of its ears, I snap out of it and run to the desk trying to block Jeff's line of vision with my body.
      • The young man spurted as he shook the water from his head.
      • I bit my lip as I noticed that his hair was wet but not dripping, as if he'd just shaken the water droplets out.
      • She started to cry for the first time in ages, quietly at first and then in huge racking sobs that shook dust from the ceiling.
      • Emerging again, she shook the moisture from her eyes.
      • I shook confectioner's sugar on top and brought the plates into the living room.
      • There was a schlooping sound as he shook the coating of thick black oil from his fingers.
      • He shook water droplets from his chocolate brown hair and put a dark gray vest over his black and gray striped sweater.
      • Rebecca shook the water from her eyes and glared at him.
      • Bucky walked next to his master, then shook the water and snow out of his hair.
      • He picked it up, shook the sand from it, and donned it.
      • She rolled her eyes and sat up, shaking the dirt and twigs from her soft fur.
      • I pulled my head up from underwater and gasped air, shaking water out of my hair in a spray of droplets.
      • Jim led the way down the hallway and up the stairs to their front door, shaking water off his jacket as he removed it.
      • Ben shook the snow from his hat and coat and hung them up.
      • She shook the cloth from her forehead and turned her attention to the flame again, using it as a focal point, instead of the darkness all around.
      • A gentle breeze wafted through the air, rustling the dogwood trees and shaking sprays of rainwater from their branches.
      • She arose, striking her tattered dress to shake the dust and dirt from it.
      • Although I was tired as well and the racket did not cease to grow heavier, I shook the sweat away and concentrated.
      • As the two of them walked into the shed and out of the biting wind, she shook sand from her thin hair and switched the lights on.
    2. 2.2 Grasp (someone) and move them roughly to and fro, either in anger or to rouse them from sleep.
      with object and complement he gently shook the driver awake and they set off
      Example sentencesExamples
      • No one shook him, but he did hear someone calling his name.
      • He was still asleep and I shook him gently awake and told him.
      • The hand placed itself on my shoulder and slightly shook me.
      • He stirred as she shook her and looked up at him with watery eyes.
      • After the woman shook me at the mall, I dropped my shopping bags.
      • What I testified to was once I did see him shake her and throw her.
      • She shook him a few times, then glanced back toward the woman.
      • Vince pulled the covers down from my shoulders and shook me.
      • Camille shook Jacqueline violently, begging her to let her play.
      • So you want to shake people and just say, look, you've just - you've got this amazing gift.
      • I thrashed about and shook him until his eyes wearily opened.
      • They ran over to him and shook him, attempting to wake him.
      • When I came to it was to find myself on the floor with my orderly shaking me.
      • She shook Jason by the shoulders and he stirred a little, but did not wake up.
      • After a few more moments of simply staring at the young man she smiled wide, grasping his shoulders and shaking him gently.
      • At 5 am, I was shaken awake from my sleep by the dissonant sound of drumbeats and jarring notes emerging from a defunct synthesizer.
      • She shook her, and then felt the child's wrist for her pulse.
      • She felt someone grasp her arms and begin shaking her roughly.
      • She marched right over to his bed, whipped the blanket off him and shook him.
      • He called out his name and shook him, but no response came.
    3. 2.3 Brandish in anger or as a warning; make a threatening gesture with.
      men shook their fists and shouted
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Glen shook his fist in mock anger, and was answered by another stuck-out-tongue.
      • To think, I used to live like an animal, subsisting purely on furiously shaking my fists at televisions and throttling newspapers.
      • One of the merchants shook a fist at her and yelled something and she waved back at him grinning.
      • Mrs Johnstone shook her fist as the car sped away.
      • Beyond shaking one's fist at the sky in impotent rage, not much can be done for that stuff.
      • He raised a dripping fist and shook it at the departing boat with a wordless screech, only to splutter again as he went under once more.
      • He shook his fist at her, which, to his surprise, earned a real smile.
      • He raised an eyebrow and she shook a fist at him playfully, giggling at herself.
      • He'd given up questioning his Maker long ago, stopped shaking his fist toward the sky in anger and disillusionment.
      • They shook their fist but yet did not do anything to stop me.
      • One of the men shook his fist and cursed at him, threatening to cut his throat if he did not leave.
      • The noisy decamping of the occupying soccer army is often played against the backdrop of a portrait of this columnist shaking his fist.
      • Governments that desire otherwise can only shake their fist in anger.
      • I shook my cereal packet at her in mock-anger, which turned out to be a stupid idea since it was still quite full.
      • At a lack of anything else to do, she shook a half-hearted fist at him threateningly, and the corner of his lips tipped up in a hint of a smile.
      • He raved, he cursed, he shook his fists in my face, and then suddenly a horrible spasm passed over his features, he clapped his hand to his side, and with a loud cry he fell in a heap at my feet.
      • I turned before I left and shook my fist threateningly at him, then slammed his door.
      • She shook her fists to the heavens at the injustice of it all.
      • Just to be ornery, Mike tooted again and the old man shook a fist.
      • I moved backwards slightly, almost from reflex, and he shook his bottle at me again.
      Synonyms
      brandish, wave, flourish, swing, wield
    4. 2.4informal Get rid of or put an end to (something unwanted)
      he was unable to shake off the memories of the trenches
      Example sentencesExamples
      • But I could never shake off the loneliness that comes from being different from the majority.
      • She shook the feeling of nostalgia and flicked back to their current hit.
      • I felt relief run through me, and then shook the feeling away, telling myself that I really didn't care.
      • He was excitedly imbued with overwhelming anticipation, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong.
      • He could never shake off his image as a somewhat effete elitist from America's prosperous northeast.
      • Poor, poor Matt; he just can't seem to shake his feelings for her.
      • An interesting thought, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.
      • Still, she just couldn't shake the feeling that her loyalty will soon be tested to its limits.
      • Unable to shake his disappointment, he flings his book bag onto the other side and takes a seat behind the wheel, slamming the door shut after him.
      • It felt nice to be lusted after, to be an object of affection, but she still could not shake her fear of being loved.
      • He's grown used to being cold and wet these past months, but he fears he will never shake the feeling of those waters closing over him.
      • I think at this point I'm never shaking my fear of eating with others, but I have actually improved.
      • I couldn't shake the feeling of wondering what made this clown so angry.
      • She tried in vain to break the restraints or shake off the helmet.
      • I shook my head in disbelief, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had to do something about my actions, or rather my lack of action.
      • He found that he couldn't shake the feelings of guilt and depression when it comes to her.
      • I couldn't shake the disappointment that he belonged to Emily.
      • She was very capable of protecting herself but even though I continually told myself this I could not shake the feeling of fear for my best friend.
      • But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen.
      Synonyms
      give up, break, get out of, abandon, end, escape from

  • 3with object Upset the composure of; shock or astonish.

    rumors of a further loss shook the market
    the fall shook him up quite badly
    she was visibly shaken and upset when she returned
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Sets of stills have emerged clearly indicating that even though he was badly shaken, George did make a systematic record of their experiences.
    • He was still shaken from being tossed across the room, so he did not land on his feet.
    • For the next two nights, Kimmel was visibly shaken and uncomfortable.
    • Everyone was running in or out, and the students who'd managed to sneak in or had avoided being kicked out were visibly shaken.
    • So, he breaks down the film to include six shorter stories, each delivered with one hard punch that shakes you in your seat.
    • I was shaken that night by the thought of how close Jamaica came to losing two of its most promising new artistic voices.
    • This showing of contempt had an obvious effect on Edwards, who was visibly shaken.
    • He was shaken and very angry, and even though he wasn't hurt, it was very scary for my son and his wife.
    • The student was quite shaken and claimed that if the situation escalated further, she would be on the next bus home.
    • The art market was shaken by reports of great numbers of fraudulent Dali prints.
    • The birds, butterflies, and stylized ivy in beautiful pastel shook me to my core.
    • The town was shocked and shaken by a very horrible tragedy.
    • In any event, the composer was badly shaken during this era, which probably hastened his death in 1950.
    • And she was holding my hand underneath this desk because she was obviously shaken by that whole Los Angeles experience.
    • At the house, every light was burning and Julia was almost immediately at the door to meet them, visibly shaken by her husband's absence.
    • I was personally shaken by it and wasn't in the mood to write much of anything.
    • Many people are shaken by a sense of vulnerability, and nobody can tell how all this will finish.
    • Seriously, this is one of the half dozen scenes in the series that shakes me to my core every single time I watch it.
    • A publicist arrives to announce Drew is visibly shaken.
    • Fisher was visibly shaken; he turned and walked off toward Diego.
    Synonyms
    upset, distress, disturb, unsettle, perturb, disconcert, discompose, disquiet, unnerve, trouble, take aback, throw off balance, agitate, fluster
    weaken, undermine, damage, impair, harm, hurt, injure, have a bad effect on
    1. 3.1 Cause a change of mood or attitude by shocking or disturbing (someone)
      he had to shake himself out of his lethargy
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Pretty soon she jumped over to the other side, and I shook myself out of my stupor and climbed hurriedly.
      • Jason grabbed her arm roughly, his grasp startling her and shaking her from her thoughts.
      • So what may finally shake the UK stock market out of its rut?
      • He looked genuinely confused for a moment, and then visibly shook himself.
      • The chime of the Hub Tower clock shook her from her practice.
      • Someone stepping on his foot shook him to reality again, Sally's big eyes willed him to stay in focus, but he just couldn't.
nounʃeɪkSHāk

  • 1An act of shaking.

    with a shake of its magnificent antlers the stag charged down the slope
    camera shake causes the image to become blurred
    Example sentencesExamples
    • She could hardly hear him through the shake of the earpiece in her hands.
    • Camera shake is one of the most common flaws in any video production and yet it can easily be reduced.
    • Where another child would have been punished for the same stunts he pulled, his cheeky familiarity often earned him little more than soft chuckles and rueful shakes of the aged heads.
    • After looking at the mild shake throughout the movie, the suddenly stable image will stick right out to you.
    • He gives himself a little shake and then turns to Amelia.
    • I placed my hand in his, expecting a shake, but he surprised me by bringing my hand to his lips and placing a butterfly kiss on my knuckles.
    • He gave a single shake of his head and knit his brow.
    • She added a bit of a shake to her voice to make it sound more realistic, and though Barbara eyed her skeptically, she accepted the story.
    • Christian cradled her small body, feeling her shakes and shivers.
    • The tall teenager gave my hair a shake and caught up with Danny quickly.
    • The walls seemed to stretch and reach forever, but the young man just dispelled the image with a shake of his head.
    • The girl gave a polite shake of the head declining the tea, but took the proffered chair.
    • I dimly noticed that Jay refused both breakfast and dinner through silent shakes of his head while I ate them mechanically, never tasting them.
    • She gave herself a mental shake and turned back to the task at hand.
    • Quint offered coffee, but Caine declined with a shake of his head.
    • Adam felt a gentle shake and jumped, surprised to see his father sitting next to him.
    • The racing driver technique of giving champagne a good shake and prising off the cork with two thumbs is about as dangerous as motor racing.
    • Tanya gave the glass container a few good shakes.
    • After draining them, he would put them back in the pan, add a handful of salt, and give them a shake.
    • She thought of it as a nervous motion, or a shake of the muscles when the mind is relaxing, and dismissed it.
    Synonyms
    jiggle, joggle, jerk
    flourish, brandish, wave
    1. 1.1 An amount of something that is sprinkled by shaking a container.
      add a few shakes of sea salt and black pepper
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I mixed all these together with the conch, a tablespoon of fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt, and a few shakes of Tabasco.
      • Stir in a shake of sesame oil, the sugar, garlic and the chopped mint.
      • Season clam juice or chicken stock with smashed garlic, grated ginger, a shot of sake and a few shakes of soy sauce.
      • Tip handfuls of pale, hard goosegogs into a stainless steel pan and sprinkle them generously with unrefined golden sugar and a few good shakes of water - just enough to stop the fruit sticking.

  • 2the shakesinformal A fit of trembling or shivering.

    I wouldn't go in there, it gives me the shakes
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The steroid in the cocktail had the side effect of the shakes along with keeping his lungs alive.
    • There was this unclean desire toward celebrity and media that still rages within us like the shakes in an alcoholic.
    • By some small miracle, his leg had gone undamaged, but he had since contracted a severe case of the shakes.
    • She rested her head against the cold hard glass, then suddenly got the shakes about what could have been smeared on these windows, and by whom over the years, and she pulled herself up sharply.
    • So you're interested in turning your PC into a digital video recorder, but the notion of opening your computer to install a TV-tuner card gives you the shakes.
    • The topic of depth of field tends to give the shakes to many beginning photographers, but the concept is actually very simple.
    • Danny accepts it with a grateful nod and drinks a long draught, trying to banish the shakes from his body.
    • Whatever he had planned for him today, he doubted that the shakes and a cold sweat would go over well.
    • Get past the depression, the illness, the shakes and diarrhea.
    • With all this re-hashing of old ideas, it seemed like reality shows had run their course in '04, making reality junkies like me start to get the shakes.
    • Every time I went back to the hometown, my stomach turned into knots, I couldn't eat or sleep, and I got the shakes.
    • My body had sailed smoothly through the birth, but I was humbled when it reacted afterward with a high temperature and the shakes.
    • And the shakes and sweats tend to make you look a lot crazier than you really are.
    • Edie gasped for breath, giving in to the shakes, hanging on to the float like it was her whole world.
    • It's so close that we're starting to get the shakes.
    Synonyms
    a fit of trembling, delirium tremens, tremors

  • 3

    short for milk shake
    Example sentencesExamples
    • At some point add a strawberry shake to take you to 247 percent of saturated fat and 166 percent of sodium.
    • It sells burgers - single or double - fries, sodas, and shakes.
    • It's used in fruit shakes in Laos, coffee in Thailand and Vietnam and in America it's the corner stone for Florida's Key Lime Pie.
    • The beverages at our first Beverly Hills restaurant were basic - shakes, malts, iced tea.
    • A chocolate shake was a surprise for not driving your mother crazy that particular day.
    • I'll have chicken and pasta for dinner, plus a few protein shakes.
    • For the honeycomb shake: In a small saucepan, bring milk and cream to a boil.
    • And like so many others, she found that yo-yo dieting, popping diet pills, drinking fitness shakes, and cutting out food groups doesn't help to shed pounds.
    • The menu also features salmon, beer can chicken, large shakes and specialty margaritas.
    • In the morning, I was supposed to drink a barium shake to light up my insides for a scan.
    • Instead, she drank as much of her shake as she possibly could, and then went back to work on her main course.
    • I am driving up the M1 and, with just a double breakfast egg McMuffin and a vanilla shake inside me, I'm thinking about lunch.
    • He gave his head a quick shake and drank the rest of his wine.
    • As the years passed, she ate deep-fried chicken nuggets, fried fish sandwiches, double-fisted burgers with cheese and sauce and bacon, French fries and chocolate shakes.
    • For instance, one of his male clients drank two soy shakes and ate a couple of bars daily.
    • The meals were high in protein and low in sugar, often including egg whites, oatmeal, chicken, veggies, and meal-replacement shakes.
    • But mandarins take center stage, with a mandarin-themed recipe contest, mandarin shakes, even mandarin trees for sale.
    • And he preferred their shakes to their coffee.
    • If you choose to sell nutritional products (supplements, energy drinks, shakes, bars, etc.) you need to know what you're doing.
    • Staff will make shakes, cappuccinos and lattes with organic cow's milk or soy milk, or with almond milk for customers who are allergic to soy.

  • 4informal An earth tremor.

    Synonyms
    earthquake, earth tremor, aftershock, convulsion

  • 5Music
    A trill.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • But he also interprets the shaking in musical terms using tremolos and trills, which can themselves be described as shakes.

Phrases

  • get (or give someone) a fair shake

    • informal Get (or give someone) just treatment or a fair chance.

      I do not believe he gave the industry a fair shake
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I only bring this up to make the point that I really did give them a fair shake - hell, I own four of their albums.
      • So, if we want the Yanks to keep coming over here, we should give them a fair shake - not a shakedown.
      • They are not getting a fair shake, are they?
      • I mean, a lot of money, time and effort go into these new shows, so I want to give them a fair shake before I start putting my journalistic weight behind them or pushing them off the air with a sharp barb.
      • I just wanted you to know that some of us would rather give you a fair shake than rush to be the first to jump off the ship in the face of a rocky wave.
      • It might prevent some paper from getting a fair shake, but it is fair (or at least equally unfair).
      • People who think it's all twee warbling over burbly synths just aren't giving them a fair shake.
      • Do you feel like there are journalists who are biased against you and don't necessarily give you a fair shake?
      • So, is the president getting a fair shake from the American media?
      • And given the opportunity to see the evidence, they're going to come to their own conclusion and, I hope, give him a fair shake.

  • in two shakes (of a lamb's tail)

    • informal Very quickly.

      I'll be back to you in two shakes
      Example sentencesExamples
      • But if we don't wind up the engineer, he'll be here in two shakes…
      • ‘You jist take a seat, young ‘un, an’ I'll be with you in two shakes.‘
      • Thomas chuckled and informed the ladies, ‘He'll be here in two shakes,’ as he stepped past to help the kitchen staff with final preparations.
      • Well, I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail with some antiseptic.
      • Compare with a semi-auto that can spit out a handful of rounds in two shakes of the proverbial lamb's tail.
      • When you wake up in the morning, you start looking at the problem again and in two shakes of a duck's tail, you've figured out the solution.
      • Having a broadband connection means that, as consumers, we can enjoy instant e-mail, watch live television on our PCs, or download music and large files in two shakes of a lamb's tail!
      • No, my dear, Nell and I will be happy to drop you off since we're already going that way, so just sit yourself down, have a Poptart and we'll all be ready to go in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
      • She had sterilized a needle in two shakes of a lamb's tail, and began about the dirty work.
      Synonyms
      in a moment, in a second, in a flash, in a minute, shortly, any minute, any minute now, in a short time, soon, very soon, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, in no time, in less than no time, in no time at all, before you know it, before long

  • more — than one can shake a stick at

    • informal Used to emphasize the largeness of an amount.

      a team with more experience than you can shake a stick at
      Example sentencesExamples
      • After an auspicious debut this time last year, the Pop Montreal festival returns with more shows than you can shake a stick at.
      • A non-stop barrage of clichés, denim, magnum 45s and bad facial hair, this highly technical show contains a completely original music score, brilliant lighting, pyrotechnics and more gags than you can shake a stick at.
      • ‘I was very scared because I thought it was going to be chock full of people with more degrees than you could shake a stick at,’ she said.
      • He's flip-flopped on more issues than you can shake a stick at!
      • I think before you can be critical of the design of hospitals and sometimes the lack of, you have to remember the atmosphere that surrounds healthcare, lawsuits a plenty, more regulations than you can shake a stick at, and lack of funding.
      • When my parents arrived, we found ourselves introduced to more cousins than you can shake a stick at, most of them so many times removed you can barely detect them.
      • The ‘greatest living designer in all the Americas’ has created a dizzying number of products, as well as more prototypes than you can shake a stick at.
      • I get bored easily, and I change my clothes a lot, so I've had more careers than you can shake a stick at.
      • By day two this team were cranking out more new ideas than you could shake a stick at.
      • It was a bad action film, bad comedy & contained more stereotypes than you could shake a stick at.

  • no great shakes

    • informal Not very good or significant.

      it is no great shakes as a piece of cinema
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Technically it is sufficient, but no great shakes.
      • The six-year-old is no great shakes, but she will not need to be to win this modest ten furlongs event, and her three recent respectable efforts in defeat stand her in good stead.
      • It's no great shakes, but it lets me know what to expect.
      • The steak et frites, despite being a star dish (there's even a neon ‘steak et frites’ sign outside), was no great shakes.
      • ‘The film itself is no great shakes,’ said the San Jose Mercury News.
      • As it turns out, we find a nice, pleasant, amusing little buddy-cop comedy - no great shakes, no real moments of brilliance, but consistent amusement throughout.
      • The beach itself is no great shakes, but it's easy to find a spot to yourself and the unrestricted view of the sea, punctuated by fishing boats anchored in the surf, is quite beautiful.
      • And even allowing that some of it may have been lost in the opening night fog, the movement in Mr. Lear is no great shakes.
      • Truth be told, Billy is no great shakes as a boxer.
      • He was no great shakes in the House of Commons, and never pretended to be.
      Synonyms
      not very good, undistinguished, unmemorable, forgettable, unexceptional, uninspired, uninspiring, uninteresting, indifferent, unimpressive, lacklustre

  • shake the dust off one's feet

    • Leave indignantly or disdainfully.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • When you are discussing it, at what point do you ‘shake the dust off your feet’ and move on?
      • But as we approached the end of that period, with no obvious fruit, we were almost ready to ‘shake the dust off our feet’.
      • No, you just have to kind of, like our Lord said, kind of shake the dust off your feet and walk away.
      • If, after a period of time, there is no response, then they shake the dust off their feet and move on.

  • shake hands (with someone)

    • Clasp someone's right hand in one's own at meeting or parting, in reconciliation or congratulation, or as a sign of agreement.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • I think he did a hell of a job; and I was the first one to congratulate him and shake his hand when he gave that argument.
      • ‘I shook his hand and congratulated him even though it was through gritted teeth,’ he laughed.
      • The first time I met Kevin, he shook my hand when I arrived and again when I left, and remembered me from the previous week when I couldn't have picked him out of a lineup.
      • Ken Ferrari looked towards me, shaking my hand in congratulations.
      • I just waited my turn and shook his hand and congratulated him on the show.
      • He shook Matt 's hand and then clasped Sarah's hand for a moment.
      • I and many of the students were delighted to shake his hand and congratulate him.
      • Dom laughed and shook Ash 's hand in agreement to the bet.
      • But at a recent game, one of the newest players, Darius Miles, came over to shake the owner 's hand, a sign of respect and appreciation that seems to matter to Allen.
      • People came up and shook my hand, congratulating me, and welcoming me.

  • shake one's head

    • Turn one's head from side to side in order to indicate refusal, denial, disapproval, or incredulity.

      she shook her head in disbelief
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He shook his head and indicated that I should follow him into the living room.
      • Looking straight at Josh, George shakes his head from side to side while holding an index finger up to his lips.
      • He offered me another sandwich, but I shook my head and indicated I was full.
      • Then he sat heavily back on the bench and shook his head from side to side, making known his disgust.
      • Now, I have to go think of new ways to make my relatives shake their head in disapproval at me.
      • Inside, she felt like shaking her head in disapproval but she knew not to in a time like this.
      • When she laid her hand on her grey suedes, she could see him shaking his head in disapproval.
      • I looked up and smiled, shaking my head, indicating for him not to worry, to just forget it.
      • Staring at him, Rena shakes her head in disapproval and sets her fork down.
      • Ben stared up at the turquoise sky blankly, then, slowly, he shook his head from side to side.

  • shake (or quake) in one's shoes (or boots)

    • Tremble with apprehension.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • I on the other hand, am totally afraid, practically shaking in my boots.
      • It's the guys who don't give a sugar who should be shaking in their boots.
      • Are ad makers shaking in their shoes when they think about the impact of globalisation and the assertive entry of agencies and influences from abroad?
      • She seemed more perturbed and bemused than shaking in her boots.
      • Sometime in the early 90s the Australian hot shop delivered a manifesto that was so radical it had the old guard of advertisers shaking in their boots.
      • Now, the conspirators out there, yes, they are shaking in their boots, because they know we know.
      • They gave ultimatums, including the ever-present cloud of separatism, that had the Feds shaking in their boots.
      • From now on, directors and remuneration committees in boardrooms across Britain would be shaking in their boots.
      • What happened to the suspense of last year, when juniors-to-be were shaking in their boots, not knowing where they would live the next year?
      • They understood that if everybody is really shaking in their boots about this man's conflict of interest over six years, no one seemed to do anything about it.

  • shake a leg

    • informal Make a start; rouse oneself.

      come on, shake a leg
      Synonyms
      hurry up, get a move on, be quick, speed up

Phrasal Verbs

  • shake down

    • Become established in a new place or situation; settle down.

      it was disruptive to the industry as it was shaking down after deregulation
      Example sentencesExamples
      • How that sentiment will shake down Monday, not even Cummins pretends to know.
      • Stay tuned because something has to shake down, and soon.
      • The Usher Hall, normally so Edwardian, upright and slightly stuffy, slips off its tiara and shakes down to something a bit more comfortable.
      • It will be instructive to see how the piece shapes up as it shakes down.
      • As the dairy industry shakes down because of all this, there are winners and there are losers, and there are those who are hanging in there against all the odds because it's simply too hard or too heartbreaking to get out.
      • Both this case and the Sterling case are shaking down as classic struggles between academic integrity and the power and influence of big business on university campuses.
      • He expects the industry to shake down to four or five major players.
      • The ‘facts’ will come fast and furious from now till then; you'll be told which issues are most important to you, how you'll vote, and how the whole thing will shake down a hundred different times and ways.
      • In some cultures, indeed, it is the norm for the original couple to shake down into something that is more companionship and shared interest than passion, and the men, at least, are allowed to establish a sex life elsewhere.

  • shake someone down

    • Extort money from someone.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • They took him to the station and shook him down for a $40,000 bribe.
      • They even came by his desk and shook him down for the money.
      • She didn't shake me down for lunch money or even touch me.
      • And the responsibility stops there, and the solution to every wrong created in the society is not to rush into a court and see if we cane shake somebody down for a bunch of money?
      • It's all about the government inserting itself, and shaking us down financially, in every conceivable area of our lives.
      • When I told them I didn't have any money coming in, they used to shake Colleen down after they'd seen me leave the apartment.
      • And our concerns that perhaps some of the princes were shaken down by blackmail to provide funds that have fueled a very large-scale international terrorist network.
      • I knew what he was doing: he was shaking me down.
      • How about taking on the textbook industry and their conspiracy to shake the American public down?
      • But you don't want to see them come alongside your boat, head up out of the water with that big fish-eatin’ grin, to shake you down for a snack.

  • shake someone off

    • 1Get away from someone by shaking their grip loose.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • She tried to hold the hand of a slightly older girl who freaked out and shook her off, but she seemed content enough even when the lights dimmed down to black.
      • I shook him off but he grabbed me again, pulling me so that I tumbled back into his arms.
      • She angrily shook him off after he had dragged her a few feet away.
      • Another night a young boy clasped me - I just couldn't shake him off - and begged me to get him into a film after he had got a knock-back at the door from the police.
      • He stayed on for all of an instant before the dragon began trying to shake him off wildly, bucking and throwing Dean forward.
      • But I shook her off, climbing the stairs in a hurry to escape her poisonous comments and manipulative advice.
      • He shook her off quickly and gave her a look that told her she was crazy.
      • When I shook her off, she only grinned, as if it was a challenge.
      • I shook him off, but he just clung closer like some parasite hanging for its dear life.
      • I shook him off, trying to hide my smile so that he wouldn't see it as an invitation to start playing again.
      1. 1.1Manage to evade or outmaneuver someone who is following or pestering one.
        he thought he had shaken off his pursuer
        Example sentencesExamples
        • I soon regretted my decision to walk to class with Dan, but managed to shake him off as he entered his classroom.
        • When she finally came out, Narcissus shook her off and told her she is no different from the other nymphs who kiss him and say they love him when they see him.
        • Felix had managed to shake her off within seconds of arriving at the camp, citing supervision measures.
        • But much to the Americans' surprise, the Eurofighter shook them off, outmanoeuvred them and moved into shooting positions on their tails.
        • The youth shook him off, then followed the lieutenant down the front line.
        • The plane I was following must have noticed I was because it tried to shake me off.
        • He was making exaggerated movements with the car to try and shake me off.
        • If by some chance you attract un-cool people, you manage to shake them off with your rapier wit.
        • An anxious-looking lady followed me relentlessly down a street; I tried to shake her off by suddenly crossing the road, pretending to look in a reject china shop.
        • He tried to shake her off but couldn't quite manage it.
        Synonyms
        get away from, escape, elude, give someone the slip, leave behind, throw off, throw off the scent, dodge, lose, get rid of, rid oneself of
      2. 1.2(in sports, especially a race) outdistance another competitor.
        in the final lap she looked as though she had shaken off the Dutch girl
        Example sentencesExamples
        • They differ about the means of shaking the Indonesians off, but shaken off they agree they must be.
        • But try as Cork did they just could not shake Waterford off.
        • Then, of course, Andersson accelerated and shook him off to win.
        • As it is, she scrapped and chased and foraged for every single ball, and I simply couldn't shake her off.

  • shake something off

    • Successfully deal with or recover from an illness or injury.

      she has shaken off a virus
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Before today, every time Sophie visited this memory, she shook it off as coincidence.
      • I shook it off as Mario and I dealt with the last of the guards in the area.
      • My friend the Giant Swede was one of those sorts in his youth, but he shook it off.
      • A strange thought had wormed its way into my mind and I was unable to shake it off.
      • Is it possible that perceptions and prejudices formed over millennia are shaken off in one go?
      • We do not have to settle for every misery fate and humanity have heaped upon us, but should fight back, to see which ones can be shaken off.
      • Later, even critics lauded him for his agility in the dance sequences, little realising that it was a man in pain shaking it off, all for his fans.
      • He shook the memory off and looked at Jonas warily.
      • Your ego was bruised by a former flame, and you're having trouble shaking it off.
      • With that, Sam shook the memory off and turned her horse around.
      Synonyms
      recover from, get over, get better after

  • shake on

    • Confirm (an agreement) by shaking hands.

      they shook on the deal
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Abbas and Sharon shake on the latest peace agreement.
      • He remembers Ferguson staring up at him as they shook on the deal.
      • Rumours abound that the Kiwi might be persuaded to stay on in Scotland, but once a man of his integrity shakes on a deal it is hard to imagine him backing out.
      • He held out his hand, palm up as if offering to shake on a deal.
      • The two shook on an agreement long ago where Durst pays Biddle a small base salary, plus extras for other tasks.
      • When leaving Nottingham Forrest, he supposedly agreed to join Blackburn, shook on the deal and then switched to Manchester United and automatically fell out with the Scotsman.
      • The room was silent as Lee and I shook on the agreement, than it suddenly came to life as the guys blurted out in a cheer.
      • Cowen is also well-regarded, perceived as a straight-talker and one who will stick to an agreement once he shakes on it.
      • Blaise took his hand as they shook on the agreement.
      • This guards against bully-boy tactics such as where a more senior party from the other side arrives to rubbish the deal just as their subordinate is poised to shake on it.

  • shake out

    • Eventually prove to happen.

      we'll see what shakes out
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I think he was fairly blunt with me when he said I have no idea how this is going to shake out.
      • We read labels on processed food to see how the calories shook out.
      • I mean, certainly it's hard to know how this shakes out.
      • And that just is going to have to shake out in the weeks to come.
      • Indeed, his team's performance was clearly affected by injuries, but the way the play-offs shook out was largely a result of his misplaying his hand.
      • When it does eventually come up it's to see how things have shaken out.
      • But this time it doesn't shake out quite that way.
      • But these three particular seats, the way they're shaking out, don't look like they're going to cause too many problems for the Republicans.
      • But all that law is still in flux, and who knows how it will eventually shake out?
      • And how it will shake out, what his role will be, what other people's role will be remains to be seen.

  • shake someone up

    • Rouse someone from lethargy, apathy, or complacency.

      he had to do something to shake the team up—we lacked spark
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He told him the manager's criticism was for the good of the team, that his words were designed to shake him up, not put him down.
      • In desperation I invented a reason to drive over to Minehead, thinking that the hustle and bustle of the town would shake me up, get me going again.
      • This really shook Mel up and caused him to ask himself if his life was going in the right direction.
      • I like the Telegraph but, despite doctor's advice, get the Independent and Guardian a couple of times a week to shake me up and let the descendants get a different world view from my rants.
      • I'm still happy and all, but something happened today that shook me up.
      • The Beagle 2 is to address a question that could equally shake us up and our view of ourselves and the universe.
      • To have someone love me like that was utterly incredible for me, and it shook me up.
      • It certainly made me want to shake him up at times and say, come on, Stevens, have a life…
      Synonyms
      put some life into, enliven, put some spark into, liven up, stir up, rouse, get going

  • shake something up

    • 1Mix ingredients by shaking.

      use soap flakes shaken up in the water to make bubbles

    • 2Make radical changes to the organization or structure of an institution or system.

      he presented plans to shake up the legal profession
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Perhaps the company will shake things up a bit when it does a consumer launch, planned for the fourth quarter.
      • There is no shortage of proposals and initiatives to shake the system up.
      • Still, I've been thinking, if you're going to shake this thing up, maybe my initial plan didn't go far enough.
      • Being the on-the-edge kind of person he is, Terry cannot help but shake things up in Sammy's very ordered and well structured household.
      • It's about time the health service was shaken up though time will tell whether it will be a success.
      • Finally, it must be commented upon: kudos go to organizers for having the guts and ingenuity to shake things up a bit.
      • Does that mean that he has plans to shake things up on the Max Bell stage?
      • It is about time the flooring industry was shaken up and customers were considered, and that was the motivation in combining the best technology and old - fashioned service to deliver huge reductions and a better way to buy flooring.
      • I didn't expect it, though I probably should've, but Logan was formulating some plans for how to shake things up with my social life as well.
      • Since the start of last year the portfolio line-up has been shaken up from time to time.
      Synonyms
      reorganize, restructure, revolutionize, alter dramatically, make far-reaching changes in, transform, reform, overhaul, update

  • shake something down

    • Cause something to fall or settle by shaking.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • She moved the high ponytail on her head lower, briefly shaking her hair down before pulling it back again.
      • Another fire gutted the old station and office building, which had been set aside for preservation, and its remains were shaken down by an earthquake a little while later.
      • It's even less of a shock if you get the chance to watch them take hold of the stage and shake the house down.
      • Earthquakes necessitate building of houses out of wood, slight shocks frightening Wellington occasionally; one in particular 26 years ago partially shook the town down, thereby causing panic.
      • The rancher removed a thermometer from his pocket, shook it down and placed it in the left vent of the fireplace, carefully timing the operation with his wristwatch.

  • shake something out

    • 1Empty something out by shaking a container.

      he shook out a handful of painkillers
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Tarantino is very clear about this: we see Bill open the bottle and drink the first shot in a single gulp, and we see him trying to shake the last drop out of the bottle when it is empty.
      • He shook paperbacks out of the carrier bags, spreading them over the bed.
      • She shook a tablet out of the container onto her outstretched palm.
      • The piggy bank soon becomes just a cute ornament in his room since coins are shaken out of it as fast as they fall in.
      • Snap on the lid, turn the container over and shake the seed out.
      • In Korea, the glass is emptied and the last few drops are shaken out, then it is passed to the guest and the host refills the glass.
      • He grabbed his jacket and shook out his cellphone.

    • 2Spread or open something such as a cloth or garment by shaking it.

      she shook out the newspaper
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Mailroom personnel can open up any suspect mail under its protective hood and shake it out to ensure there are no dangerous substances inside.
      • I shake out the towel and satisfy them with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, goldfish, and apple juice.
      1. 2.1Restore something crumpled to its natural shape by shaking.
        she undid her helmet and shook out her frizzled hair
        Example sentencesExamples
        • Tugging at the helmet, I shook out my now dry hair.
        • It was said that on returning from campaign each year he would have his mail shirt shaken out over a chest, so that he could eventually be buried in the dust of all his campaigns.
        • I got used to it and just made sure you shook out your sleeping stuff.
        • Then she set aside the broom in a corner and stripped the sheets off her own bed, moved to a window she had opened while she cleaned, and shook the sheets out until her arms were sore and then some.
        • I'd shaken my hair out as well, leaving it to flow down my back.
        • Flipping her head upside down, she shook out her hair, willing the black mass to dry faster and blindly trying to locate her violet eyeliner with her left hand as she did so.
        • Brian wheeled the bike off around the building, and Tess continued talking as she untied the kerchief and shook out her shoulder length gray streaked hair.
        • I pulled up in the circle drive to the front of the house and pulled my helmet off, shaking my hair out.
        • They're practical - you don't wash them, just shake them out.
      2. 2.2Unwind or untie a reef to increase the area of a sail.
        Example sentencesExamples
        • Indeed, given his own preferences, Holderman thought he might actually have reduced sail, or at least left the night's reefs in rather than shaking them out, if only to give himself a little more time to avoid any ice his lookouts spotted.

Origin

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

verb.1
phr.
phr.v.
 
 
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更新时间：2024/12/23 23:59:14