1
: to move irregularly to and fro
2
: to vibrate especially as the result of a blow or shock
3
: to tremble as a result of physical or emotional disturbance
shook with fear
4
: to experience a state of instability : totter
5
: to briskly move something to and fro or up and down especially in order to mix
6
: to clasp hands
7
1
: to brandish, wave, or flourish often in a threatening manner
protesters shaking their fists
2
: to cause to move to and fro, up and down, or from side to side especially in a repetitive, rhythmic, or quick jerky manner
shook his head in disapproval
3
: to cause to quake, quiver, or tremble
4
a
: to free oneself from
shake a habit
shake off a cold
b
: to get away from : get rid of
can you shake your friend? I want to talk to you alone—
Elmer Davis
Elmer Davis5
: to lessen the stability of : weaken
shake one's faith
6
: to bring to a specified condition by or as if by repeated quick jerky movements
shook himself loose from the man's grasp
7
: to dislodge or eject by quick jerky movements of the support or container
shook the dust from the cloth
8
: to clasp (hands) in greeting or farewell or as a sign of goodwill or agreement
10
1
2
a
: a blow or shock that upsets the equilibrium or disturbs the balance of something
b
3
4
: something produced by shaking: such as
a
: a fissure separating annual rings of growth in timber
b(1)
(2)
: a beverage resembling a milkshake
a protein shake
5
: a wavering, quivering, or alternating motion caused by a blow or shock
6
: trill
7
: a very brief period of time
I'll be there in two shakes
8
shakes plural
: one that is exceptional especially in importance, ability, or merit
—usually used in the phrase no great shakes
9
: a shingle split from a piece of log usually three or four feet (about one meter) long
10
: deal entry 2 sense 3
a fair shake
Synonyms
Examples of shake in a Sentence
Verb
The ground shook during the earthquake.
The house shook as the train rumbled by.
The earthquake shook the ground.
Shake the salad dressing well before using it.
I was so nervous that I was shaking like a leaf.
The fugitive couldn't shake the police.
It's hard to shake the feeling that I'm forgetting something.
The news did nothing to shake my belief that things will be okay.
Nothing could shake his faith in God.
Noun
He responded to the question with a shake of his head.
Give the dice a shake.
He drank too much coffee and got a bad case of the shakes.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Brooks, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
Maybe that’s why World Cups end with the two teams shaking hands, one offering congratulations and the other condolences, and elections don’t.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The company told Axios anyone can redeem the free shake offer by mentioning it at the register when dining in.
—Kelly Tyko, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shake 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Over the next few years, a plague of disorder will descend upon America, and maybe the world, shaking everything loose.
—David Brooks, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
Maybe that’s why World Cups end with the two teams shaking hands, one offering congratulations and the other condolences, and elections don’t.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
The home’s outer structure has wood shake roofing / shingles.
—Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The company told Axios anyone can redeem the free shake offer by mentioning it at the register when dining in.
—Kelly Tyko, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shake
Articles Related to shake
Dictionary Entries Near shake
Cite this Entry
“Shake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shake. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shake
1 of 2 verb2
: to become unsteady : totter
3
: to cause to move in a usually quick jerky manner
4
: to free oneself from
shake off a cold
5
: to cause to become weaker
shake one's faith
6
: to force out of a place by quick jerky movements
shake dust from a blanket
7
: to clasp (hands) in greeting or as a sign of goodwill or agreement
shakable
adjective
ˈshā-kə-bəl
shake
2 of 2 noun1
: an act of shaking
2
plural
: a condition of trembling (as from chill)
3
: something produced by shaking
especially
: milk shake
4
: a very brief period of time
ready in two shakes
5
plural
: one that stands out especially in importance, ability, or merit
—usually used in the phrase no great shakes
6
: a long shingle
7
: deal entry 3 sense 2
a fair shake
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