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shake

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noun [countable] British English pronunciation: shake /ʃeɪk/ 
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singularshake
pluralshakes
  1. 1
    the action of shaking
    give something a shake:

    John grabbed the gift and gave it a shake.

    a shake of the head (=movement of your head from side to side in order to say no to something):

    ‘No,’ Mrs Callison said with a firm shake of the head.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  shakeThesaurus entry for this meaning of shake
  4. 4

    the shakes

     informal uncontrolled quick movements of your body that you make because, for example, you are ill, nervous, or have drunk too much alcohol
    have/get the shakes:

    She got a bad case of the shakes before the show.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  shakeThesaurus entry for this meaning of shake

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This is the British English definition of shake. View American English definition of shake.

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