Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHAKE, v.t. [pret. shook; pp. shaken. Sax. sceacan, to shake, also to flee, to depart, to withdraw; Sw. skaka; D. schokken, to shake, to jolt, to heap; schok, a shock, jolt or bounce; W. ysgegiaw, to shake by seizing one by the throat; cegiaw, to choke, from cêg, a choking, the mouth, an entrance. If the Welsh gives the true origin of this word, it is remarkably expressive, and characteristic of rough manners. I am not confident that the Welsh and Saxon are from a common stock.]

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. v. He shook the sacred honors of his head. – Dryden. As a fig-tree casteth her untimely fruit, when it is shaken by a mighty wind. – Rev. vi.
2. To make to totter or tremble. The rapid wheels shake heaven'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 cares and business from our age. – Shak. [See shake off.]
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. ii.
8. To trill; as, to shake a note in music. To shake hands, sometimes, to unite with; to agree or contract with, more generally, to take leave of, from the practice of shaking hands at meeting and parting. – Shak. K. Charles. To shake off, to drive off; to throw off or down by violence; as, to shake off the dust of the feet; also, to rid one's self; to free from; to divest of; as, to shake off disease or grief; to shake off troublesome dependents. – Addison.