Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Shake?

\Shake\, obs. p. p. of {Shake}. --Chaucer.
\Shake\, v. t. [imp. {Shook}; p. p. {Shaken}, ({Shook}, obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. {Shaking}.] [OE. shaken, schaken, AS. scacan, sceacan; akin to Icel. & Sw. skaka, OS. skakan, to depart, to flee. [root]161. Cf. {Shock}, v.] 1. To cause to move with quick or violent vibrations; to move rapidly one way and the other; to make to tremble or shiver; to agitate. As a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. --Rev. vi. 13. Ascend my chariot; guide the rapid wheels That shake heaven's basis. --Milton. 2. Fig.: To move from firmness; to weaken the stability of; to cause to waver; to impair the resolution of. When his doctrines grew too strong to be shook by his enemies, they persecuted his reputation. --Atterbury. Thy equal fear that my firm faith and love Can by his fraud be shaken or seduced. --Milton. 3. (Mus.) To give a tremulous tone to; to trill; as, to shake a note in music. 4. To move or remove by agitating; to throw off by a jolting or vibrating motion; to rid one's self of; -- generally with an adverb, as off, out, etc.; as, to shake fruit down from a tree. Shake off the golden slumber of repose. --Shak. 'Tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age. --Shak. I could scarcely shake him out of my company. --Bunyan. {To shake a cask} (Naut.), to knock a cask to pieces and pack the staves. {To shake hands}, to perform the customary act of civility by clasping and moving hands, as an expression of greeting, farewell, good will, agreement, etc. {To shake out a reef} (Naut.), to untile the reef points and spread more canvas. {To shake the bells}. See under {Bell}. {To shake the sails} (Naut.), to luff up in the wind, causing the sails to shiver. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
\Shake\, v. i. To be agitated with a waving or vibratory motion; to tremble; to shiver; to quake; to totter. Under his burning wheels The steadfast empyrean shook throughout, All but the throne itself of God. --Milton. What danger? Who 's that that shakes behind there? --Beau. & Fl. {Shaking piece}, a name given by butchers to the piece of beef cut from the under side of the neck. See Illust. of {Beef}.
\Shake\, n. 1. The act or result of shaking; a vacillating or wavering motion; a rapid motion one way and other; a trembling, quaking, or shivering; agitation. The great soldier's honor was composed Of thicker stuff, which could endure a shake. --Herbert. Our salutations were very hearty on both sides, consisting of many kind shakes of the hand. --Addison. 2. A fissure or crack in timber, caused by its being dried too suddenly. --Gwilt. 3. A fissure in rock or earth. 4. (Mus.) A rapid alternation of a principal tone with another represented on the next degree of the staff above or below it; a trill. 5. (Naut.) One of the staves of a hogshead or barrel taken apart. --Totten. 6. A shook of staves and headings. --Knight. 7. (Zo["o]l.) The redshank; -- so called from the nodding of its head while on the ground. [Prov. Eng.] {No great shakes}, of no great importance. [Slang] --Byron. {The shakes}, the fever and ague. [Colloq. U.S.]