SHAKE HANDS • FREE-TRANSLATOR.COM • Definition of Shake hands

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/ʃeɪk hændz/ Listen

verb

Shake v. t. (past shook; past part. shaken, obs. shook; pres. part. shaking)

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." "Ascend my chariot; guide the rapid wheels That shake heaven's basis."

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." "Thy equal fear that my firm faith and love Can by his fraud be shaken or seduced."

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." "'Tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age." "I could scarcely shake him out of my company."

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.

See images of 'Shake hands'

Etymology of 'Shake hands'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Shake hands" Quotes from Famous Books

... cross and surly, and evidently in a bad humour, and most decidedly refused to shake hands, while he growled out words of annoyance and even threatening at the coming of a missionary ...

— Oowikapun - How the Gospel Reached the Nelson River Indians • Egerton Ryerson Young

... storm were at once forgotten. The men cheered wildly, Broomberg's knife was snatched from his hand, and he himself bound hand and foot, while everybody crowded round to shake hands with the little professor, or to pat the noble dog who had ...

— Crusoes of the Frozen North • Gordon Stables

... something so manly in George's speech, that, but for its final fling and personality, every man in the room would have crowded round him to shake hands; but what man ever coolly heard ...

— The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. I, No. 1, Nov. 1857 • Various

... common interests. It is admitted, I presume, that, looking at the states collectively, half support your views, half ours; and in every single state one party is for Sparta and another for Athens. Suppose, then, we were to shake hands, from what quarter can we reasonably anticipate danger and trouble? To put the case in so many words, so long as you are our friends no one can vex us by land; no one, whilst we are your supports, can injure you by sea. Wars like tempests gather and grow to a head from time ...

— Hellenica • Xenophon

... more to be pitied, for they were led up by St Anthony to be tempted and fell, whereas St Anthony did not fall. I believe I was a disagreeable and unintelligible boy, and if ever I meet Skinner there is no one whom I would shake hands with, or do a good turn ...

— The Way of All Flesh • Samuel Butler

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