INDEX:
1. when things shake
2. when your body, hand etc shakes
3. to make something shake
4. to shake a part of your body
5. to shake hands as a greeting
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1. when things shake
▷ shake /ʃeɪk/ [intransitive verb]
if something shakes, it makes very small quick movements from side to side or up and down :
▪ Ed was playing his music so loud that the whole house shook.
▪ Suddenly the ground beneath my feet began to shake.
▪ The car slowed down, shook for a moment and then stopped.
▷ rattle /ˈrætl/ [intransitive verb]
to shake and repeatedly hit against something else, making a continuous noise :
▪ The windows were rattling in the wind.
▪ I woke up to the sound of cups and plates rattling, and knew that Dad was already up.
rattle [singular noun]
▪ Just then we heard the rattle of a key in the lock.
▷ wobble /ˈwɒb ə lǁˈwɑː-/ [intransitive verb]
if something wobbles, it moves from side to side because it is not steady or not well balanced :
▪ The chair wobbled under her weight and then fell over.
▪ Jerry came in carrying a tray of glasses that were wobbling alarmingly.
wobbly [adjective]
▪ Do you think this ladder’s safe? It feels a bit wobbly.
▷ vibrate /vaɪˈbreɪtǁˈvaɪbreɪt/ [intransitive verb]
to shake continuously with very small, very fast movements, for example because of the effects of a very loud noise :
▪ Some insects’ wings vibrate so fast that the movement is invisible to the human eye.
vibrate to
▪ Everything in the room was vibrating to the beat of the drum.
vibration /vaɪˈbreɪʃ ə n/ [countable/uncountable noun]
▪ The movement and vibration of the car soon sent the children to sleep.
▷ shudder /ˈʃʌdəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
if something such as a piece of machinery or a vehicle shudders, it shakes uncontrollably with very small movements :
▪ Our house was so close to the railway that you could feel it shudder every time a train went by.
shudder to a halt
shake a lot and then stop
▪ The train shuddered to a halt at the station.
shudder [countable noun]
▪ A series of shudders went through the ship as the mine exploded.
▷ judder /ˈdʒʌdəʳ/ [intransitive verb] especially British
if something judders, it shakes with small, quick movements, especially because something is stopping it moving freely or smoothly :
▪ Jackson took his Land Rover off the track and it juddered over 15 metres of grass.
▪ The elevator doors juddered open when we reached the fifth floor.
judder to a halt
shake a lot and then stop
▪ Something was obviously wrong with the car and eventually it just juddered to a halt.
judder [countable noun]
▪ With a final judder, the car stopped altogether.
▷ jolt /dʒəʊlt/ [intransitive verb]
to move up and down or from side to side with sudden large movements - use this especially about a vehicle or machine that is not working well or moving smoothly :
▪ Our coach jolted and stopped. Then it started again.
jolt along/over/through etc
▪ He ran down the hill, the backpack jolting from side to side on his back.
jolt to a halt/stop
▪ Everyone was alarmed when the elevator jolted to a halt.
jolt [countable noun]
▪ The train stopped with a sudden jolt.
2. when your body, hand etc shakes
▷ shake /ʃeɪk/ [intransitive verb]
if you shake, your body makes small quick uncontrolled movements, for example because you are frightened, nervous, or angry :
▪ My hands were shaking so much I could hardly write my name on the exam paper.
shake with fear/anger/laughter etc
shake because you are frightened, angry etc
▪ The others were all shaking with laughter.
▷ tremble /ˈtremb ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to shake very slightly, especially because you are frightened or upset :
▪ Jane’s lip began to tremble and I though she was going to cry.
▪ The dog sat trembling in a corner.
tremble with anger/emotion/fear etc
▪ Polly hid behind the door, trembling with fear.
▷ shiver /ˈʃɪvəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
to shake because you are cold, or because of an emotion such as fear :
▪ Julia shivered and pulled her coat more tightly around her.
▪ You’re shivering! Do you want to go indoors?
shiver with excitement/fear/horror etc
▪ Lizzy looked out at the thick snow and shivered with excitement.
shiver [countable noun]
▪ ‘It’s freezing!’ Tom said with a shiver.
send a shiver down your spine
make you shiver because you are frightened
▪ The story he told me sent a shiver down my spine.
▷ shudder /ˈʃʌdəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
to shake uncontrollably for a short moment, especially because the idea of something is very unpleasant or upsetting :
▪ Dave tried to kiss Julia but she shuddered and turned away.
▪ I shuddered to think of my son all alone in New York.
shudder [countable noun]
▪ ‘I can’t even stand to be in the same room as him!’ she said with a shudder.
▷ twitch /twɪtʃ/ [intransitive verb]
if a part of your body twitches, it makes a very small, sudden movement, especially when you do not want this to happen but you cannot control it :
▪ Mac was very nervous. A muscle on his face began to twitch.
▪ Roberta’s mouth twitched as she tried to stop herself laughing out loud.
twitch [countable noun]
▪ A twitch of anxiety crossed my father’s face.
▷ quiver /ˈkwɪvəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
to shake so slightly that it is difficult for other people to notice, especially because you are very excited, nervous, or angry :
▪ John’s hands were quivering as he put down his papers and started his speech.
quiver with anger/excitement/fear etc
▪ The children stood there quivering with excitement as I opened the package.
▷ convulsion /kənˈvʌlʃ ə n/ [countable noun usually plural]
when your body shakes violently and uncontrollably because you are very ill :
have convulsions
▪ The baby was sweating and crying. She started to have convulsions again.
go into convulsions
▪ Andrew died after taking the drug, which had caused him to go into convulsions.
3. to make something shake
▷ shake /ʃeɪk/ [transitive verb]
to make something move up and down or from side to side with small quick movements :
▪ Shake the bottle before you open it.
▪ She shook the blanket to get rid of all the dust.
▪ The huge explosion shook houses up to five miles away.
▷ make something shake /ˌmeɪk something ˈʃeɪk/ [verb phrase]
to make a place or object shake - use this especially about loud noises or strong movements or explosions :
▪ The music was so loud that it made the floor shake.
▪ Every time a train passed it made the whole house shake.
▷ give something a shake /ˌgɪv something ə ˈʃeɪk/ [verb phrase] especially British
to hold something and shake it a few times :
▪ I gave the box a shake to see if there was anything inside.
▪ Martha took the tablecloth outside and gave it a good shake.
▷ agitate /ˈædʒɪteɪt, ˈædʒəteɪt/ [transitive verb]
to shake a liquid quickly - use this especially in technical or scientific contexts :
▪ Mix the two solutions together and agitate the bottle.
▪
4. to shake a part of your body
▷ shake /ʃeɪk/ [transitive verb]
▪ Brad got up and shook his legs to get all the grass off.
▪ She shook her long blonde hair.
shake your head
move your head from side to side as a way of saying 'no'
▪ Mom shook her head. ‘You can’t go out again at this time of night.’
shake your fist (at somebody)
shake your closed hand in front of someone as a way of showing that you are angry
▪ ‘Women drivers!’ the truck driver yelled, shaking his fist at me.
▷ wiggle /ˈwɪg ə l/ [transitive verb]
to move your toes, fingers, bottom etc with a series of small movements :
▪ Karen sat in front of the fire and wiggled her toes.
▪ Marilyn Monroe was able to wiggle her hips in a way that drove men wild.
▷ waggle /ˈwæg ə l/ [transitive verb] British
to move part of your body, especially your bottom, legs, or toes, from side to side or up and down, with fairly large movements :
▪ The children were told to lie on their backs and waggle their legs in the air.
▪ I’ve always wanted to be able to waggle my ears.
▷ wag /wæg/ [transitive verb]
if a dog wags its tail, it moves its tail from side to side; if a person wags their finger or head, they shake it repeatedly, especially in order to show that they do not like something that someone has done :
▪ A dog wags its tail in order to show friendliness and pleasure.
▪ ‘You shouldn’t have done that!’ Mum said, wagging her finger at me.
5. to shake hands as a greeting
▷ shake hands /ˌʃeɪk ˈhændz/ [verb phrase]
if two people shake hands, they each hold the other person’s hand and move it up and down with their own, as a polite or formal greeting :
▪ The two leaders shook hands and walked into the White House.
shake hands with
▪ The picture shows him shaking hands with the Prime Minister.