shake Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun building material used as siding or roofing
    shingle.
  2. noun frothy drink of milk and flavoring and sometimes fruit or ice cream
    milk shake; milkshake.
  3. noun a note that alternates rapidly with another note a semitone above it
    trill.
  4. noun grasping and shaking a person's hand (as to acknowledge an introduction or to agree on a contract)
    handshake; handclasp; handshaking.
  5. noun a reflex motion caused by cold or fear or excitement
    shiver; tremble.
  6. noun causing to move repeatedly from side to side
    wag; waggle.
  7. verb move or cause to move back and forth
    agitate.
    • The chemist shook the flask vigorously
    • My hands were shaking
  8. verb move with or as if with a tremor
    didder.
    • his hands shook
  9. verb shake or vibrate rapidly and intensively
    judder.
    • The old engine was juddering
  10. verb move back and forth or sideways
    sway; rock.
    • the ship was rocking
    • the tall building swayed
    • She rocked back and forth on her feet
  11. verb undermine or cause to waver
    • my faith has been shaken
    • The bad news shook her hopes
  12. verb stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of
    stir; shake up; excite; stimulate.
    • These stories shook the community
    • the civil war shook the country
  13. verb get rid of
    shake off; throw off; escape from.
    • I couldn't shake the car that was following me
  14. verb bring to a specified condition by or as if by shaking
    • He was shaken from his dreams
    • shake the salt out of the salt shaker
  15. verb shake (a body part) to communicate a greeting, feeling, or cognitive state
    • shake one's head
    • She shook her finger at the naughty students
    • The old enemies shook hands
    • Don't shake your fist at me!

WordNet

Shake
Definitions
  1. obs. p. p. of Shake. Chaucer.
Shake transitive verb
Etymology
OE. shaken, schaken, AS. scacan, sceacan; akin to Icel. & Sw. skaka, OS. skakan, to depart, to flee. Cf. Shock, v.
Wordforms
imperfect Shook ; past participle Shaken (Shook, obsolete ); present participle & verbal noun Shaking
Definitions
  1. To cause to move with quick or violent vibrations; to move rapidly one way and the other; to make to tremble or shiver; to agitate.
    As a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. Rev. vi. 13.
    Ascend my chariot; guide the rapid wheels That shake heaven's basis. Milton.
  2. Fig.: To move from firmness; to weaken the stability of; to cause to waver; to impair the resolution of.
    When his doctrines grew too strong to be shook by his enemies, they persecuted his reputation. Atterbury.
    Thy equal fear that my firm faith and love Can by his fraud be shaken or seduced. Milton.
  3. (Mus.) To give a tremulous tone to; to trill; as, to shake a note in music.
  4. To move or remove by agitating; to throw off by a jolting or vibrating motion; to rid one's self of; -- generally with an adverb, as off, out, etc.; as, to shake fruit down from a tree.
    Shake off the golden slumber of repose. Shak.
    'Tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age. Shak.
    I could scarcely shake him out of my company. Bunyan.
Shake intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To be agitated with a waving or vibratory motion; to tremble; to shiver; to quake; to totter.
    Under his burning wheels The steadfast empyrean shook throughout, All but the throne itself of God. Milton.
    What danger? Who 's that that shakes behind there? Beau & FL.
Shake noun
Definitions
  1. The act or result of shaking; a vacillating or wavering motion; a rapid motion one way and other; a trembling, quaking, or shivering; agitation.
    The great soldier's honor was composed Of thicker stuff, which could endure a shake. Herbert.
    Our salutations were very hearty on both sides, consisting of many kind shakes of the hand. Addison.
  2. A fissure or crack in timber, caused by its being dried too suddenly. Gwilt.
  3. A fissure in rock or earth.
  4. (Mus.) A rapid alternation of a principal tone with another represented on the next degree of the staff above or below it; a trill.
  5. (Naut.) One of the staves of a hogshead or barrel taken apart. Totten.
  6. A shook of staves and headings. Knight.
  7. (Zoöl.) The redshank; -- so called from the nodding of its head while on the ground. Prov. Eng.

Webster 1913