Pronunciation

/sheɪk/

Definitions

Noun

A shake can refer to:

1. The act of moving or trembling, often in response to strong emotion or physical force: “The tree shook violently in the storm.”
2. A gesture or movement where one’s hand or body rapidly moves up and down: “He gave her a friendly handshake.”
3. A drink made by mixing liquids together: “I’ll have a milkshake with my burger.”
4. A slang term for a sudden change or upheaval: “The economy experienced a major shake in 2008.”

Verb

1. To move or cause to move by shaking: “He shook the can to mix the contents.”
2. To transfer or distribute (a liquid) by shaking: “Shake the bottle well before using.”
3. To express disagreement or doubt by nodding or head-shaking: “She shook her head no when asked if she wanted dessert.”
4. To communicate a message or idea through body language or informal conversation: “We shook on the deal.”

Noun (informal)

Sometimes used colloquially as a verb meaning to dance energetically: “Let’s shake it on the dance floor!”

Phrases

• “Give someone a shake” can mean to rouse someone from sleep or to express annoyance.
• “Shake hands” is a formal greeting or sign of agreement.
• “Shake off” means to get rid of or dismiss something, like a feeling or burden.

Example Sentences

• Noun: “The earthquake caused the entire building to shake.”
• Verb: “He shook out his jacket to remove the snowflakes.”
• Informal Verb: “She shook her hips to the rhythm of the music.”
• Noun (informal): “After the workout, we all went to shake off our sore muscles.”

Synonyms

• Vibrate
• Jiggle
• Rattle
• Stir
• Agitate
• Convulse

Antonyms

• Stay still
• Maintain
• Keep calm
• Rest
• Unperturb