shimmy

1 of 2

noun

shim·​my ˈshi-mē 

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

Every Rayan Cherki drive into the box, every Jeremy Doku shimmy and dart, every menacing moment of intent from Haaland brings about an instant raising of our heart rates. —Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026

Elvis Presley In Concert from Neon shimmies onto 350 Imax screens for one week ahead of a national expansion. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026

Verb

Helmed by Executive Chef Elly Wentworth (a one-to-watch having shimmied over from stalwart restaurant, the Angel in Dartmouth), Fowlescombe’s kitchen disregards old-world hotel dining with its stiff formalities, along with the frothy alchemy of the Michelin set. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Sometimes, one of the most entertaining parts of a performance is the audience — especially when the show has shimmied and elbowed its way up from open mics and crowded basements, gathering good will along the way. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shimmy

• gimme
• jimmy
• synonymy