shak ‧ y /ˈʃeɪki/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ shake , ↑ shaker , ↑ shakiness ; adjective : ↑ shaky , ↑ shaken ; verb : ↑ shake ; adverb : ↑ shakily ]
1 . weak and unsteady because of old age, illness, or shock:
a shaky voice
Grandad was a little shaky on his feet (=not able to walk very well) .
2 . not sure about the exact details of something, or not likely to be completely right:
My knowledge of history is a little shaky.
shaky evidence
3 . not firm or steady SYN unstable :
shaky foundations
—shakily adverb
—shakiness noun [uncountable]
• • •
THESAURUS
■ not physically strong
▪ weak not physically strong, sometimes because you are ill:
Tom’s had flu and he’s still feeling weak.
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The doctors said she was too weak to have an operation.
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He suffered constantly from a weak chest.
▪ frail weak and thin, especially because you are old:
a frail 85-year-old lady
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My grandfather’s becoming quite frail now.
▪ shaky feeling weak in your legs and only able to walk slowly and unsteadily:
When I came out of hospital I was a bit shaky for a while.
▪ puny /ˈpjuːni/ especially disapproving small, thin, and looking very weak:
his puny white arms
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He was a puny little boy who was often bullied at school.
▪ feeble especially written weak and unable to do much because you are very ill, very old or young:
For a week she was too feeble to get out of bed.
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a tiny, feeble baby
▪ delicate weak and often becoming ill easily:
a delicate child
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She had rather a delicate constitution (=her body easily became ill) .
▪ infirm formal weak or ill for a long time, especially because you are old:
a residential home for people who are elderly and infirm
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There are special facilities for wheelchair users and infirm guests.
▪ malnourished formal weak or ill because you have not had enough good food to eat:
Half a million people there are severely malnourished.
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The organization provides emergency feeding for malnourished children.