shimmy

1 of 2

noun

shim·​my ˈshi-mē How to pronounce shimmy (audio)
plural shimmies
1
[by alteration] : chemise
2
[short for shimmy-shake] : a jazz dance characterized by a shaking of the body from the shoulders down
3
: an abnormal vibration especially in the front wheels of a motor vehicle

shimmy

2 of 2

verb

shimmied; shimmying

intransitive verb

1
: to shake, quiver, or tremble in or as if in dancing a shimmy
2
: to vibrate abnormally
used especially of automobiles
3
: shinny

Examples of shimmy in a Sentence

Verb They were shimmying on the dance floor. I shimmied into my jacket. One of the car's wheels was shimmying.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The singer walked into the audience and danced alongside Swift and Post Malone before approaching Cabello for a little Cuban-Colombian shimmy. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2024 In response, Jordana does a quick shimmy in her seat and then reaches for Alipour, who then grabs her by the hair. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 5 July 2024
Verb
One firefighter was seen shimmying on a narrow ledge, with ropes in hand, making his way toward the worker. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 10 Oct. 2024 Rescue crews equipped with tanks and gas masks worked to rescue residents inside, with three fire trucks and four ambulances shimmying their way through narrow streets crowded with onlookers. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shimmy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shimmy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shimmy was in 1837

Dictionary Entries Near shimmy

Cite this Entry

“Shimmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shimmy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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