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Webster 1913 Edition

Shake

Shake

,
obs.
p.
p.
of
Shake
.
Chaucer.

Shake

,
Verb.
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. √161. Cf.
Shock
,
Verb.
]
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.
Shakespeare
'Tis our fast intent
To
shake
all cares and business from our age.
Shakespeare
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.

Shake

,
Verb.
I.
To be agitated with a waving or vibratory motion; to tremble; to shiver; to quake; to totter.
Under his burning wheels
The steadfast empyrean
shook
throughout,
All but the throne itself of God.
Milton.
What danger? Who 's that that
shakes
behind there?
Beau. & Fl.
Shaking piece
,
a name given by butchers to the piece of beef cut from the under side of the neck. See Illust. of
Beef
.

Shake

,
Noun.
1.
The act or result of shaking; a vacillating or wavering motion; a rapid motion one way and other; a trembling, quaking, or shivering; agitation.
The great soldier's honor was composed
Of thicker stuff, which could endure a
shake
.
Herbert.
Our salutations were very hearty on both sides, consisting of many kind
shakes
of the hand.
Addison.
2.
A fissure or crack in timber, caused by its being dried too suddenly.
Gwilt.
3.
A fissure in rock or earth.
4.
(Mus.)
A rapid alternation of a principal tone with another represented on the next degree of the staff above or below it; a trill.
5.
(Naut.)
One of the staves of a hogshead or barrel taken apart.
Totten.
6.
A shook of staves and headings.
Knight.
7.
(Zool.)
The redshank; – so called from the nodding of its head while on the ground.
[Prov. Eng.]
No great shakes
,
of no great importance.
[Slang]
Byron.
–
The shakes
,
the fever and ague.
[Colloq. U.S.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Shake

SHAKE

,
Verb.
T.
pret. shook; pp. shaken.
1. To cause to move with quick vibrations; to move rapidly one way and the other; to agitate; as, the wind shakes a tree; an earthquake shakes the hills or the earth.
I shook my lap, and said, so God shake out every man from his house-
Neh. 5.
He shook the sacred honors of his head. Dryden.
-As a fig casteth her untimely fruit, when it is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev. 6.
2. To make to totter or tremble.
The rapid wheels shake the heav'n's basis. Milton.
3. To cause to shiver; as, an ague shakes the whole frame.
4. To throw down by a violent motion.
Macbeth is ripe for shaking. Shak.
[But see shake off, which is generally used.]
5. To throw away; to drive off.
'Tis our first intent
To shake all cares and business from our age. [See Shake off.] Shak.
6. To move from firmness; to weaken the stability of; to endanger; to threaten to overthrow. Nothing should shake our belief in the being and perfections of God, and in our own accountableness.
7. To cause to waver or doubt; to impair the resolution of; to depress the courage of.
That ye be not soon shaken in mind. 2 Thess. 2.
8. To trill; as, to shake a note in music.

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