shake
gb/ʃˈeɪk/ us/ʃˈeɪk/
A2
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Move quickly back and forth
To move something quickly many times from side to side or up and down.
Usage pattern:
to shake [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'shake' with 'stir', but 'shake' means moving the whole object, not mixing with a spoon.
Synonyms
jiggle (Implies smaller, quicker movements, often less forceful than 'shake'.)
Antonyms
steady (Means to make something still or stable, the opposite of shaking.)
Collocations
shake hands
|shake a bottle
|shake the table
|shake violently
Themes
daily life
|movement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She shook the bottle before pouring the juice.
- The dog shook itself dry after the bath.
- He shook the table accidentally, spilling the drinks.
- The earthquake shook the whole building.
- Please shake the medicine well before use.
Learner examples
- Shake the box before opening it.
- I shake the rug outside.
- He shakes the tree to get apples.
- The boy shakes his head.
- They shake the jar to mix it.
Verb
A2
action
2
Move head to show no
To move your head left and right to say 'no'.
Usage pattern:
to shake [one's] head
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'shake your head' with 'nod your head', which have opposite meanings.
Synonyms
deny (Expresses refusal or disagreement verbally, rather than physically.)
Antonyms
nod (Moving the head up and down to indicate agreement or yes.)
Collocations
shake one’s head sadly
|shake one’s head in disbelief
Themes
communication
|emotions
Examples
- She shook her head when asked if she wanted more cake.
- He shook his head in disbelief at the news.
- The teacher shook her head at the student's excuse.
Learner examples
- I shake my head when I say no.
- She shakes her head at the bad idea.
- He shakes his head when he is angry.
Verb
B1
action
3
Upset or shock emotionally
To make someone feel very upset or shocked.
Usage pattern:
to shake [someone]
Synonyms
upset (A broader term for causing unhappiness; 'shake' suggests a stronger, more sudden effect.)
Antonyms
reassure (To restore someone's confidence or calmness.)
Collocations
deeply shaken
|shake someone’s confidence
Themes
emotions
|psychology
Examples
- The accident really shook her.
- He was shaken by the sudden death of his friend.
- The news of the earthquake shook everyone in the town.
Learner examples
- The sad story shakes me.
- The loud noise shakes the children.
- Bad news can shake a person.
Noun
A2
entity
4
Cold blended milk drink
A cold drink made of milk, ice cream, and flavoring mixed together.
Synonyms
milkshake ('Milkshake' is the full term; 'shake' is a casual abbreviation.)
Collocations
chocolate shake
|strawberry shake
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
Examples
- I ordered a chocolate shake with my burger.
- She sipped her strawberry shake slowly.
- We shared a vanilla shake after dinner.
Learner examples
- I like a banana shake.
- He drinks a chocolate shake.
- She makes a cold shake.
Noun
A2
event
5
Quick repeated movement
A quick movement from side to side or up and down.
Synonyms
tremor ('Tremor' often refers to small or involuntary shaking, while 'shake' can be intentional.)
Collocations
with a shake of the head
Themes
movement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He gave the jar a quick shake.
- The dog gave itself a shake after swimming.
- With a shake of her head, she refused.
Learner examples
- He gives the bag a shake.
- The dog does a shake after rain.
- She does a shake with her head.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shake
IPA
GB/ʃˈeɪk/
US/ʃˈeɪk/
Syllables & stress
shake (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shake)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shake
- Plural: shakes
Verb
- Base: shake
- 3rd Person Singular: shakes
- Present Participle: shaking
- Past: shook
- Past Participle: shaken
Word family
Forms
shakes
noun
shaking
verb
shook
verb
shaken
verb
Core family
shaky
adjective B1
Related words
shaker
noun
shakily
adverb
shakiness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unshakable
adjective
Highlights
- Irregular past: shook Verb
- Irregular past participle: shaken Verb
Expressions
more than you can shake a stick at
1/mˈɔɹ ðən jˈu kən ʃˈeɪk ə stˈɪk ˈæt/
idiom
informal
Too many to count easily
So many of something that you cannot count them easily.
Examples
- There were more desserts than you could shake a stick at at the party.
- The city has more restaurants than you can shake a stick at.
shake hands
1/ʃˈeɪk hˈændz/
fixed phrase
Greet or agree by hand grasping
To hold someone's hand and move it up and down when you meet or agree with them.
Examples
- They shook hands after signing the contract.
- I always shake hands when I meet new people.
shake off
1/ʃˈeɪk ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
Get rid of something unwanted
To remove something bad or unwanted from yourself by shaking or trying hard.
Examples
- He tried to shake off his cold before the weekend.
- She shook off the dirt from her shoes.
shake up
1/ʃˈeɪk ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Cause major changes
To make big changes in something so it works better or is different.
Examples
- The new manager plans to shake up the company.
- The scandal shook up the political system.