shākˈer noun

1. A person who shakes
2. A person who makes things happen, as in the phrase mover and shaker
3. A device for shaking (eg drinks)
4. A perforated container from which something, eg flour, is shaken
5. (with cap; in pl) a name popularly applied to an American religious sect, the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, as a result of their ecstatic dancing, also formerly to Quakers and sects whose religious fervour manifested itself in violent trembling

Shākˈerism noun

shākˈily adverb

shākˈiness noun

shākˈing noun and adjective

shākˈy adjective

1. Shaking or inclined to shake
2. Loose
3. Tremulous
4. Precarious
5. Uncertain
6. Wavering
7. Unsteady
8. Frail from old age or illness
9. Full of cracks or clefts

shakeˈ-bag noun

1. A fighting cock turned out of a bag
2. A large fighting cock

shakeˈdown noun

1. A temporary bed (orig made by shaking down straw)
2. A trial run, operation, etc to familiarize personnel with procedures and machinery (chiefly US; informal)
3. An act of extortion or blackmail (slang)
4. A thorough search of a person or place esp by the police (slang)

shaken baby syndrome noun

A collection of symptoms, including brain damage and paralysis, that can occur when an infant is shaken violently by an adult

shakeˈ-out noun

1. A drastic reorganization or upheaval
2. A recession in a particular commercial or industrial activity, esp when accompanied by cutbacks in the workforce or closure of individual businesses

shakeˈ-rag noun (obsolete)

A disreputable ragged man

shakeˈ-up noun (informal)

A disturbance or reorganization

shaking palsy noun

A name for Parkinson's disease

great shakes or no great shakes (informal)

Of great account or of no account

shake a leg (often imperative; informal)

To hurry up, get moving

shake down (slang)

1. To extort money from by threats or blackmail
2. To search thoroughly
3. To frisk (a person for weapons, drugs, etc)
4. To go to bed (esp in a temporary bed)
5. To settle by shaking
6. To cheat of money at one stroke

shake hands with

1. To greet (someone) by clasping his or her hand usu with an up-and-down movement
2. To seal a bargain, acknowledge an agreement, settle differences, etc, with (someone) in this way

shake or shiver in one's shoes

To be so afraid that one's body, esp one's legs, quiver with fear

shake off

1. To get rid of, often by shaking (also figurative)
2. To get away, escape, from (someone or something that is following, pursuing, etc)

shake off (or shake) the dust from one's feet

(see Bible, Matthew 10.14) to leave hurriedly or gladly (lit and figurative)

shake on

To conclude (a bargain, agreement, etc) by shaking hands

shake one's head

To turn one's head from side to side as an indication of reluctance, rejection, denial, disapproval, etc

shake one's sides

To laugh uproariously

shake out

To empty or cause to spread or unfold by shaking

shake up

1. To rouse, mix, disturb, loosen by shaking
2. To unnerve or upset
3. To reorganize (informal)
4. To upbraid (Shakespeare)

two shakes (of a lamb's tail, etc) (informal)

A very short time