Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Shake \Shake\, v. t. [imp. {Shook}; p. p. {Shaken}, ({Shook},
obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. {Shaking}.] [OE. shaken, schaken, AS.
scacan, sceacan; akin to Icel. & Sw. skaka, OS. skakan, to
depart, to flee. [root]161. Cf. {Shock}, v.]
1. To cause to move with quick or violent vibrations; to move
rapidly one way and the other; to make to tremble or
shiver; to agitate.
As a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is
shaken of a mighty wind. --Rev. vi. 13.
Ascend my chariot; guide the rapid wheels That shake
heaven's basis. --Milton.
2. Fig.: To move from firmness; to weaken the stability of;
to cause to waver; to impair the resolution of.
When his doctrines grew too strong to be shook by
his enemies, they persecuted his reputation.
--Atterbury.
Thy equal fear that my firm faith and love Can by
his fraud be shaken or seduced. --Milton.
3. (Mus.) To give a tremulous tone to; to trill; as, to shake
a note in music.
4. To move or remove by agitating; to throw off by a jolting
or vibrating motion; to rid one's self of; -- generally
with an adverb, as off, out, etc.; as, to shake fruit down
from a tree.
Shake off the golden slumber of repose. --Shak.
'Tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business
from our age. --Shak.
I could scarcely shake him out of my company.
--Bunyan.
{To shake a cask} (Naut.), to knock a cask to pieces and pack
the staves.
{To shake hands}, to perform the customary act of civility by
clasping and moving hands, as an expression of greeting,
farewell, good will, agreement, etc.
{To shake out a reef} (Naut.), to untile the reef points and
spread more canvas.
{To shake the bells}. See under {Bell}.
{To shake the sails} (Naut.), to luff up in the wind, causing
the sails to shiver. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Source : WordNet®
shaking
adj : vibrating slightly and irregularly; as e.g. with fear or
cold or like the leaves of an aspen in a breeze; "a
quaking bog"; "the quaking child asked for more";
"quivering leaves of a poplar tree"; "with shaking
knees"; "seemed shaky on her feet"; "sparkling light
from the shivering crystals of the chandelier";
"trembling hands" [syn: {quaking}, {quivering}, {shaky},
{shivering}, {trembling}]
n 1: the act of causing something to move up and down (or back
and forth) with quick movements
2: a shaky motion; "the shaking of his fingers as he lit his
pipe" [syn: {shakiness}, {trembling}, {quiver}, {quivering},
{vibration}, {palpitation}]