26984 words

shake

32 definitions ā€¢ 64 examples
1
to move backwards and forwards or up and down in quick, short movements, or to make something or someone do this:

Examples:

A young boy climbed into the apple tree and shook the branches so that the fruit fell down.
Babies like toys that make a noise when they're shaken.
The explosion shook buildings for miles around.
[ + obj + adj ] People in southern California were shaken awake by an earthquake.
shake something loose She shook her hair loose from its ribbon.
shake something over something Anna shook some powdered chocolate over her coffee.
Every time one of these big trucks goes by, all the houses shake.
shake with The child's body was shaking with sobs.
2
If you are shaking, your body makes quick short movements, or you feel as if it is doing so, because you are frightened or nervous:

Examples:

She was shaking as she opened the letter.
shake in your shoes/boots I was shaking in my shoes/boots (= very nervous) about having to tell Dad what I'd done.
shake like a leaf I was shaking like a leaf (= very nervous) before the test.
3
to be very frightened or nervous:

Examples:

She said she was shaking in her boots when she found out the patient was a doctor.
4
If your voice shakes, it makes you sound nervous or frightened:

Examples:

Her voice shook as she talked about the person who attacked her.
5
to hold someone's hand and move it up and down, especially when you meet them for the first time or when you make an agreement with them:

Examples:

"Pleased to meet you," he said, shaking my hand.
"Congratulations," she said, shaking the winner by the hand.
She greeted him warmly and shook his hand.
People often come up to him in the street to shake his hand and thank him.
She embraced the mayor and shook his hand.
She stopped and shook me by the hand.
6
If two people shake hands, they greet each other or say goodbye by briefly joining hands and moving them slightly up and down:

Examples:

shake hands with The Princess was photographed shaking hands with AIDS victims.
7
If two people shake (hands) on something, they make an agreement by briefly joining hands and moving them slightly up and down:

Examples:

It seems that we have a deal, so let's shake (hands) on it.
8
to move your head from side to side, in order to express disagreement, sadness, or that you do not want or believe something:

Examples:

I asked Tim if he'd seen Jackie lately but he shook his head.
9
to hold your hand up in the air with your fingers and thumb bent, and move it forcefully backwards and forwards, to show that you are angry:

Examples:

He shook his fist at the driver who pulled out in front of him.
10
to cause to feel upset and worried:

Examples:

The child seemed nervous and visibly shaken.
The news has shaken the whole country.
11
to make something less certain, firm, or strong:

Examples:

What has happened has shaken the foundations of her belief.
After six defeats in a row, the team's confidence has been badly shaken.
shake something (up) This discovery may shake (up) traditional theories on how mountains are formed.
12
to get rid of or escape from something:

Examples:

It's very difficult to shake the habit of a lifetime.
shake something (off) The company has so far been unable to shake (off) its reputation for being old-fashioned.
13
an act of shaking something:

Examples:

give something a shake She gave the box a shake to see if there was anything inside it.
shake of "No, no, no," he said with a shake of his head.
14
short, quick movements from side to side that your body makes because you are ill, are frightened, or have drunk too much alcohol:

Examples:

I watched her hands as she prepared coffee and she definitely had the shakes.
15
a drink made by adding fruit or other ingredients to milk or ice cream and mixing it together :

Examples:

She was carrying two hot dogs in one hand and a shake in the other.
This place does the best banana shakes.
16
a protein shake (= a drink made by mixing a special powder containing protein with milk or water):

Examples:

This shake will give you about 100 grams of protein, and should be taken immediately after your workout.
That will give you a little more protein than you need, so you can cut the whey in your post-workout shake to 1 scoop.
17
a flat piece of wood split (= cut with a tool such as an) axe from a block, and then fixed in rows to make a roof or wall covering:

Examples:

Cedar shakes are hand split from logs and shaped with a thicker end to give a rustic appearance.
18
to move something backward and forward or up and down in quick, short movements:

Examples:

[ T ] Shake the can.
[ T ] She shook Dana gently.
[ T ] Cory shook some powdered sugar on her French toast.
[ I ] The explosion made the ground shake.
[ M ] Lily shook her long hair out (= moved her hair to make it fall loosely around her shoulders).
[ M ] She shook out the tablecloth (= shook it so anything on it fell off).
19
If you or part of your body shakes, you make quick, short movements, or you feel as if you are doing this, because you are cold, frightened, or upset:

Examples:

[ I ] She was soaking wet and shaking when she when she finally got home.
[ I ] Her hands shook as she opened the letter.
20
If someoneā€™s voice shakes, its sound frequently changes because of fear or other emotions.
21
If you shake your fist, you hold your hand up with your fingers and thumb closed and move it backward and forward to show you are angry:

Examples:

They stood at the gate, shaking their fists and shouting.
22
If two people shake hands, they greet or say goodbye by briefly joining hands and moving them slightly up and down:

Examples:

We shook hands and left.
23
If you shake your head, you move it from side to side to say "no" or show disagreement, sympathy, sadness, or that you do not believe something:

Examples:

Frank shook his head in disbelief.
My dad shook his head, "No, you can't go."
24
to cause someone to feel upset and troubled:

Examples:

Juanita was shaken and tried not to cry.
The instructor was shaken by the angry e-mails she received.
25
to make someoneā€™s beliefs less certain or strong; to weaken:

Examples:

Nothing shook her conviction that there was no substitute for hard work.
The defense failed to shake Powellā€™s testimony.
26
to get rid of something, or escape from something:

Examples:

He couldnā€™t shake the feeling that Tony had another motive.
Iā€™ve had this cold all week and just canā€™t seem to shake it.
27
the act of moving something backward and forward or up and down in quick, short movements:

Examples:

Give the bottle a shake.
Maria answered no with a shake of her head.
28
infml A shake is a milkshake.
29
The shakes is a condition in which most or all of your body moves slightly from cold, fear, or illness:

Examples:

Just thinking about the upcoming interview gave him the shakes.
30
if something shakes someone's beliefs, hopes, etc., it destroys these feelings or makes them weaker:
31
to hold someone's hand with one of your hands and move it up and down to greet someone or show that an agreement has been reached:

Examples:

shake hands with sb He waited in the lobby to shake hands with prospective customers.
After signing the contract both sides shook hands.
32
to reach an agreement about something:

Examples:

After months of negotiation they finally shook hands on the deal.

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