# shake

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈʃeɪk/ · frequency rank #4,121

## Definitions
1. To cause (something) to move rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly.
2. To move (one's head) from side to side, especially to indicate refusal, reluctance, or disapproval.
3. To move or remove by agitating; to throw off by a jolting or vibrating motion.
4. To disturb emotionally; to shock.
5. To lose, evade, or get rid of (something).
6. To move from side to side.
7. To shake hands.
8. To dance.
9. To give a tremulous tone to; to trill.
10. To threaten to overthrow.
11. To be agitated; to lose firmness.

## Etymology
From Middle English schaken, from Old English sċeacan, sċacan (“to shake”), from Proto-West Germanic *skakan, from Proto-Germanic *skakaną (“to shake, swing, escape”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)keg-, *(s)kek- (“to jump, move”).
Cognate with Scots schake, schack (“to shake”), West Frisian schaekje (“to shake”), Dutch schaken (“to elope, make clean, shake”), Low German schaken (“to move, shift, push, shake”) and schacken (“to shake, shock”), Old Norse skaka (“to shake”), Norwegian Nynorsk skaka (“to shake”), Swedish skaka (“to shake”), Danish skage (“to shake”), Dutch schokken (“to shake, shock”), Russian скака́ть (skakátʹ, “to jump”). More at shock.

## Easily confused with
- **she** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-she)
- **shoe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shoe)
- **shaw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shaw)
- **soak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-soak)
- **sham** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-sham)
- **shan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shan)
- **shay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shay)
- **shat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shat)
- **Shek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shek)
- **state** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-state)
- **space** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-space)
- **share** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-share)
- **stage** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-stage)
- **shall** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shall)
- **shape** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shape)
- **smoke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-smoke)
- **spoke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-spoke)
- **shame** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shame)
- **sharp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-sharp)
- **shore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shake-vs-shore)

## Common misspellings (7)
`hsake`, `sahke`, `shaek`, `shakke`, `shhake`, `shkae`, `sshake`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shake