plural shimmies
Definition of shimmy
(Entry 1 of 2)
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
verbshimmied; shimmying
Definition of shimmy (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to shake, quiver, or tremble in or as if in dancing a shimmy
2 : to vibrate abnormally
—used especially of automobiles
3 : shinny
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quizWords of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quizSpell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quizSCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share shimmy
Time Traveler for shimmy
The first known use of shimmy was in 1837
See more words from the same year