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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
shake verb (shook, shaken, shaking) 1 to move with quick, often forceful to-and-fro or up-and-down movements. 2 (also shake something up) to mix it in this way. 3 to wave violently and threateningly; to brandish • He shook his fist at them. 4 tr & intr to tremble or make something or someone tremble, totter or shiver. 5 to cause intense shock to; to agitate profoundly • the accident that shook the nation. 6 (also shake someone up) to disturb, unnerve or upset them greatly • He was very shaken after the accident. 7 to make something or someone waver; to weaken • The experience shook my confidence. 8 intrans to shake hands. 9 intrans, music to trill. noun 1 an act or the action of shaking. 2 colloq a very short while; a moment. 3 (the shakes) colloq a fit of uncontrollable trembling. 4 a milk shake. 5 music a trill. 6 a natural fissure formed in rock or growing timber. shakeable or shakable adj. no great shakes colloq not of great importance, ability or worth. shake a leg colloq to hurry up or get moving. shake hands or shake hands with someone 1 to greet them by clasping each others hands. 2 to seal a bargain, acknowledge an agreement, settle differences, etc. shake one's head to turn one's head from side to side as a sign of rejection, disagreement, disapproval, denial, etc. two shakes (of a lamb's tail) colloq a very short time.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon sceacan.
shake down 1 to settle by shaking. 2 to go to bed, especially in a makeshift or temporary bed. See also shakedown. shake someone down 1 slang to extort money from them by threats or blackmail. 2 to frisk them (for weapons, drugs, etc). See also shakedown. shake something down 1 to make it settle by shaking. 2 slang to search it thoroughly. shake something or someone off 1 to get rid of them; to free oneself from them. 2 to escape from them. shake out to empty, or cause to spread or unfold, by shaking. shake someone up colloq to stimulate them into action, especially from a state of lethargy or apathy. See also shake-up. shake something up 1 to mix it. 2 colloq to reorganize it thoroughly. See also shake-up. |
shake verb (shook, shaken, shaking) 1 to move with quick, often forceful to-and-fro or up-and-down movements. 2 (also shake something up) to mix it in this way. 3 to wave violently and threateningly; to brandish • He shook his fist at them. 4 tr & intr to tremble or make something or someone tremble, totter or shiver. 5 to cause intense shock to; to agitate profoundly • the accident that shook the nation. 6 (also shake someone up) to disturb, unnerve or upset them greatly • He was very shaken after the accident. 7 to make something or someone waver; to weaken • The experience shook my confidence. 8 intrans to shake hands. 9 intrans, music to trill. noun 1 an act or the action of shaking. 2 colloq a very short while; a moment. 3 (the shakes) colloq a fit of uncontrollable trembling. 4 a milk shake. 5 music a trill. 6 a natural fissure formed in rock or growing timber. shakeable or shakable adj. no great shakes colloq not of great importance, ability or worth. shake a leg colloq to hurry up or get moving. shake hands or shake hands with someone 1 to greet them by clasping each others hands. 2 to seal a bargain, acknowledge an agreement, settle differences, etc. shake one's head to turn one's head from side to side as a sign of rejection, disagreement, disapproval, denial, etc. two shakes (of a lamb's tail) colloq a very short time.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon sceacan.
shake down 1 to settle by shaking. 2 to go to bed, especially in a makeshift or temporary bed. See also shakedown. shake someone down 1 slang to extort money from them by threats or blackmail. 2 to frisk them (for weapons, drugs, etc). See also shakedown. shake something down 1 to make it settle by shaking. 2 slang to search it thoroughly. shake something or someone off 1 to get rid of them; to free oneself from them. 2 to escape from them. shake out to empty, or cause to spread or unfold, by shaking. shake someone up colloq to stimulate them into action, especially from a state of lethargy or apathy. See also shake-up. shake something up 1 to mix it. 2 colloq to reorganize it thoroughly. See also shake-up. |
shake verb (shook, shaken, shaking) 1 to move with quick, often forceful to-and-fro or up-and-down movements. 2 (also shake something up) to mix it in this way. 3 to wave violently and threateningly; to brandish • He shook his fist at them. 4 tr & intr to tremble or make something or someone tremble, totter or shiver. 5 to cause intense shock to; to agitate profoundly • the accident that shook the nation. 6 (also shake someone up) to disturb, unnerve or upset them greatly • He was very shaken after the accident. 7 to make something or someone waver; to weaken • The experience shook my confidence. 8 intrans to shake hands. 9 intrans, music to trill. noun 1 an act or the action of shaking. 2 colloq a very short while; a moment. 3 (the shakes) colloq a fit of uncontrollable trembling. 4 a milk shake. 5 music a trill. 6 a natural fissure formed in rock or growing timber. shakeable or shakable adj. no great shakes colloq not of great importance, ability or worth. shake a leg colloq to hurry up or get moving. shake hands or shake hands with someone 1 to greet them by clasping each others hands. 2 to seal a bargain, acknowledge an agreement, settle differences, etc. shake one's head to turn one's head from side to side as a sign of rejection, disagreement, disapproval, denial, etc. two shakes (of a lamb's tail) colloq a very short time.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon sceacan.
shake down 1 to settle by shaking. 2 to go to bed, especially in a makeshift or temporary bed. See also shakedown. shake someone down 1 slang to extort money from them by threats or blackmail. 2 to frisk them (for weapons, drugs, etc). See also shakedown. shake something down 1 to make it settle by shaking. 2 slang to search it thoroughly. shake something or someone off 1 to get rid of them; to free oneself from them. 2 to escape from them. shake out to empty, or cause to spread or unfold, by shaking. shake someone up colloq to stimulate them into action, especially from a state of lethargy or apathy. See also shake-up. shake something up 1 to mix it. 2 colloq to reorganize it thoroughly. See also shake-up. |
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
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The Chambers Thesaurus
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Chambers Biographical Dictionary
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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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