shake
shake
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "shake" is /ʃeɪk/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
shake:
/ʃ/ (voiceless postalveolar fricative)
/eɪ/ (diphthong, as in "bay" or "day")
/k/ (voiceless velar stop)
Word Form Variations
Verb:
Base form: shake
Third-person singular present: shakes
Present participle: shaking
Past simple: shook
Past participle: shaken
Noun:
Singular: shake
Plural: shakes
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To move something rapidly back and forth or up and down with short, quick movements.
Synonyms: tremble, quiver, vibrate, jiggle, agitate
Antonyms: still, stabilize, hold steady, pacify
To cause a person or object to move unevenly or discontinuously; to make someone or something unsteady.
Synonyms: rock, sway, totter, jolt, disturb
Antonyms: anchor, fix, secure, steady
To emotionally or physically disturb or upset someone deeply.
Synonyms: rattle, unnerve, distress, discompose, shock
Antonyms: calm, soothe, reassure, comfort
To get rid of something unwanted, often by a quick, forceful motion.
Synonyms: discard, shed, cast off, abandon, divest
Antonyms: retain, hold onto, acquire, keep
Noun
An act or instance of shaking; a rapid, vibrating, or back-and-forth movement.
Synonyms: tremor, shudder, vibration, quiver, jolt
Antonyms: stillness, stability, rigidity, calm
A sudden, unsettling emotional experience or event.
Synonyms: shock, jolt, upheaval, upset, blow
Antonyms: reassurance, comfort, stability, calm
A beverage, typically a milkshake, made by blending milk with ice cream or other flavorings.
Synonyms: smoothie (if fruit-based), frappe, malt
Antonyms: (None directly applicable as it refers to a specific type of drink)
Examples of Use
Books:
"He felt a profound shake in his convictions after the unexpected revelation." (From a novel discussing a character's internal turmoil)
"The ground began to shake violently, sending tremors through the ancient city." (From a fantasy novel describing an earthquake)
Newspapers:
"Analysts predict a significant shake-up in the global financial markets next quarter." (The Wall Street Journal)
"The governor's speech aimed to shake off perceptions of weakness and project an image of strength." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"How to Shake Off a Creative Block and Boost Your Productivity" (Lifehacker.com)
"The latest report suggests a shake-out among smaller tech startups, with many struggling to find funding." (TechCrunch.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: A character might exclaim, "Don't shake the baby!" in a dramatic scene.
Music: "You shake me all night long!" (From a popular rock song, AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long")
Television: A cooking show host might instruct, "Now, shake the ingredients well before pouring."
Video Games: A game character's health bar might shake when they take damage, or a player might "give a controller a shake" to activate a special ability.
General Public Discourse:
"I need to shake things up a bit at work; it's getting too monotonous." (A common phrase used by someone seeking change)
"Let's shake hands on the deal." (A phrase used to finalize an agreement)
"Did you feel that shake? I think it was a minor tremor." (Casual conversation after a slight seismic event)
"I'm trying to shake off this cold." (Referring to recovering from an illness)
10 Quotes Using Shake
"The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up." - "So let’s shake off the dust." (Oprah Winfrey)
"I believe in the power of the imagination. I believe that we can imagine a better world and then shake the world until it becomes that better world." (Stephen Lewis)
"Sometimes a good cry is just what you need to release all the accumulated stress. And sometimes you just need to shake it off." (Unknown, often attributed to general wellness advice)
"You can't shake hands with a clenched fist." (Indira Gandhi)
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. So shake it up a little." (Maya Angelou, a variation on a common quote)
"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." (Benjamin Franklin, a common paraphrase that often leads into "Let's shake on it")
"I like people who can shake me up and make me think." (Agnes Denes)
"If you want to be a successful writer, you must be able to shake off criticism and keep writing." (Stephen King, a widely known sentiment of his)
"The best way to shake off a cold is to keep going." (Attributed to various sources on resilience)
"Let us shake off the heavy yoke of the past and look to the future with hope." (Nelson Mandela, a theme consistent with his speeches)
Etymology
The word "shake" has a long history, going back to the very early days of the English language.
Its journey starts even before Old English, in a reconstructed ancient language called Proto-Indo-European. Here, the root words *(s)keg- or *(s)kek- meant something like "to jump" or "to move."
From there, it evolved into Proto-Germanic as *skakaną, meaning "to shake, swing, or escape." This is where we see the meaning of movement really taking shape.
Then, we get to Old English (before the year 1150), where the word was sċeacan or sċacan. At this point, "shake" was used both to describe something moving quickly back and forth or up and down, and also for things like trembling (if a person or body part) or even "to go, glide, hasten, or flee." So, its first known meaning was directly tied to this idea of rapid, back-and-forth movement or vibration.
Over time, in Middle English (schaken), the word continued to be used for these kinds of movements, and its meaning expanded to include things like causing something to move, and later, even to describe a specific dance. The modern noun "shake" (like a handshake or a milkshake) developed from the verb over the centuries.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Shake
Shake a leg: To hurry up; to move quickly.
Shake hands: To grasp someone's hand as a greeting, farewell, or sign of agreement.
Shake things up: To make significant changes or cause a disruption, often to improve a situation.
Shake down: To extort money from someone; also, a casual search of a person or place.
Shake off: To get rid of something undesirable (e.g., a cold, a bad mood, pursuers).
Shake in one's boots: To be very afraid or nervous.
Shake a stick at (more than you can shake a stick at): A large quantity of something.
Shake a tail feather: To dance or move quickly.
Shake out: To happen or develop in a particular way (e.g., "Let's see how things shake out.").
Shake-up: A major reorganization or change, especially in a company or organization.
Fair shake: A fair chance or opportunity.
No great shakes: Not very good or impressive.
To shake the dust off one's feet: To leave a place, often with a sense of rejection or relief.
To shake the habit: To stop doing something habitually.
To shake to the core: To deeply affect or disturb someone or something.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of shake from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
