shake

1 /'SeIk/ past tense shook past participle shaken verb

1 MOVEMENT (I) to move up and down or from side to side with quick repeated movements: His hand shook as he signed the paper. | The ground was shaking beneath their feet. | shake with anger/fear/laughter etc (=be so angry, frightened etc that you cannot stop shaking) | shake like a leaf (=shake a lot, especially because you are very nervous or frightened): What's the matter? You're shaking like a leaf.

2 SHAKE STH (T) to make something or someone move up and down or from side to side with quick repeated movements: The blast shook windows five miles away. | shake sth onto/out/over etc: Shake the sand out of your shoes.

3 SHAKE SB (T) to hold someone by their shoulders and push and pull them backwards and forwards roughly, especially because you are angry with them: She was being such a brat, I felt like shaking her.

4 shake your head to move your head from side to side as a way of saying no: He didn't reply, but just shook his head.

5 shake hands (with) also shake sb's hand/shake sb by the hand to move someone's hand up and down with your own hand as a greeting or as a sign you have agreed something: Wilkinson shook my hand warmly.

6 shake on it spoken to agree on a decision or business agreement by shaking hands: Let's shake on it.

7 be shaken to feel very shocked and upset: Kerrie was so shaken by the attack that she still won't go out alone.

8 shake sb's confidence/faith/belief to make someone feel less confident, less sure about their beliefs etc

9 shake your fist to show that you are angry by holding up and shaking your tightly closed hand

10 VOICE (I) if your voice shakes it sounds nervous or uncertain: Reg's voice shook with rage.

11 shake a leg spoken used to tell someone to start doing something now: C'mon you guys, shake a leg! We haven't got all day.

12 shake in your shoes/boots informal to be very nervous: I was shaking in my shoes - I thought he'd give me the sack.

shake down phrasal verb

1 (I) BrE informal to get used to a new situation that you are working or living in

2 (transitive shake someone down) AmE informal to get money from someone by using threats

3 (transitive shake someone/something down) AmE informal to search a person or place thoroughly

4 (transitive shake something down) BrE to test a ship or plane under real conditions

—see shakedown

5 (intransitive + in/on etc) BrE informal to sleep on the floor, on a seat etc, instead of in a proper bed

shake sb off phrasal verb

1 (transitive shake something off) to get rid of an illness, problem etc: I can't seem to shake off this cold.

2 (T) to escape from someone who is chasing you

shake sth out phrasal verb (T) to shake a cloth, a bag, a sheet etc so that any small pieces of dirt, dust etc come off: Shake the crumbs out of the tablecloth. shake sb/sth up phrasal verb (T)

1 (transitive shake someone up) to give someone a very unpleasant shock, so that they feel very upset and frightened: Seeing that accident really shook me up.

—see also: shaken

2 (T) to make changes to an organization in order to make it more effective

—see also: shakeup 2 noun

1 (C) an act of shaking: give sth a shake: Give the bottle a good shake before you pour. | shake of the head (=a movement of the head from side to side to say no): She just refuses with a smile and a shake of the head.

2 the shakes not technical nervous shaking of your body caused by illness, fear, too much alcohol etc: get the shakes: As soon as they left I started getting the shakes.

3 in a couple of shakes/two shakes informal very soon: We'll be back in a couple of shakes.

4 no great shakes spoken not very skilful: He's no great shakes, but he's better that the last chef they had.

5 (C) AmE a cold drink made from milk that tastes of fruit, chocolate etc; milk shake

6 fair shake AmE informal fair treatment: Dave didn't get his fair shake - everyone else had the chance of an interview.