1
a
: to move sometimes violently back and forth or up and down with short, quick movements
The ground shook during the earthquake.
The house shook as the train rumbled by.
The earthquake shook the ground.
Shake the salad dressing well before using it.
He shook his fist (in the air) and yelled at the driver who cut them off.
b
: to move or have parts of your body move in short, quick movements and in a way that you are not able to control
His hand shook [=trembled] as he reached for the phone.
He was shaking [=shivering] with cold.
She was shaking with laughter [=laughing very hard] as he told us the story.
I could see that he was shaking with anger/rage. [=he was so angry that he was shaking]
I was so nervous that I was shaking like a leaf.
She was shaking in her boots/shoes [=she was very nervous] as she waited for the doctor.
2
: to free yourself from (someone or something) : to get away from or get rid of (someone or something)
The fugitive couldn't shake the police.
It's hard to shake the feeling that I'm forgetting something.
—sometimes + offHe is trying to shake off a cold.
3
: to cause (a belief, feeling, etc.) to become weaker
The news did nothing to shake my belief that things will be okay.
Her confidence was badly shaken by the accident. [=she became much less confident because of the accident]
Nothing could shake his faith in God.
4
: to cause (someone) to feel fear, anxiety, shock, etc.
The whole town was shaken by the news.
5
: to force (something) out of something by shaking
He shook (out) the sand from his sandals.
6
: to grasp (someone's hand) with your hand and move it up and down when you are meeting or saying goodbye to each other or as a sign of friendship or agreement
I shook his hand. = I shook hands with him. = (somewhat old-fashioned) I shook him by the hand.
They shook on the deal. = They shook on it. [=they shook hands to show that they agreed]
7
of your voice
: to produce sound in an unsteady way because you are nervous, angry, sad, etc.
His voice shook as he started his speech.
Her voice shook with rage.
plural shakes
1
: a short, quick movement back and forth or up and down
He responded to the question with a shake of his head.
Give the dice a shake.
2
informal
: a condition in which parts of your body move in a way that you are not able to control
The whole experience gave me the shakes. [=made me shake with fear/nervousness]
He drank too much coffee and got a bad case of the shakes.
3
: milkshake
a chocolate shake
Cite this Entry
“Shake.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/shake. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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