Shake
/ʃeɪk/
Definitions
4 meaningsTo move something or to cause something to move with short, quick movements.
/ʃeɪk/
To move or cause to move rapidly back and forth or up and down.
The dog shook its wet fur.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're trying to get the last bit of juice out of a juice box - that's shaking! You can also shake hands, like when you meet someone.
👶 For kids: To move something quickly back and forth, like when you're dancing and wiggling your body.
More Examples
He shook the snow off his boots.
The earthquake shook the entire building.
How It's Used
"He shook his head in disbelief."
"She shook the bottle to mix the contents."
"The news shook him to the core."
To greet or congratulate someone by clasping their hand.
/ʃeɪk/
To grasp (someone's hand) and move it up and down, as in greeting or agreement.
They shook hands to seal the deal.
💡 Simply: When you meet someone, you might 'shake hands' with them to say hello or agree on something. It's like a friendly way to connect!
👶 For kids: To grab someone's hand and move it up and down when you meet them.
More Examples
He shook my hand and introduced himself.
After the game, the teams shook hands.
How It's Used
"They shook hands after the negotiation."
"He shook the president's hand."
An act of shaking or the result of shaking.
/ʃeɪk/
A trembling or oscillation.
He felt a shake run through his body.
💡 Simply: Like when you shiver from being cold, or if your hands move a little because you are nervous, that is a 'shake'.
👶 For kids: When something is moving back and forth quickly.
More Examples
The earthquake caused a violent shake.
There was a shake of the dice.
How It's Used
"The patient experienced a slight shake due to the cold."
"The news gave him a shake of terror."
A blended drink, typically made of ice cream, milk, and flavorings.
/ʃeɪk/
A beverage made by mixing ingredients together.
She ordered a strawberry shake.
💡 Simply: A yummy, cold drink that tastes like ice cream! It's blended with other ingredients to make a thick, tasty treat.
👶 For kids: A yummy drink that's cold and mixed up with other tasty things.
More Examples
The kids loved their milkshakes.
I prefer a vanilla shake.
How It's Used
"I ordered a chocolate shake."
"Let's grab some shakes at the diner."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
shake a leg
To hurry up; to get moving.
"Come on, shake a leg! We're going to be late."
shake someone's confidence
To make someone feel less sure of themselves; to undermine their self-belief.
"The criticism shook her confidence."
shake things up
To make big changes in a system or situation.
"The new CEO decided to shake things up."
From Old English *sceacan* (strong verb, class VI), akin to Old High German *scahhan* 'to shake, move rapidly'. The Germanic origin suggests a Proto-Indo-European root, potentially *skēk-* meaning 'to shake'.
The word 'shake' has been used since Old English times to describe the action of moving something back and forth.