SHAKE HANDS • E-FREE TRANSLATION.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.

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Etymology of 'Shake hands'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Shake hands" Quotes from Famous Books

... they met in a crowd to shake hands, and she went her way with one of her grand ladies, and he was left among a group of chattering strangers. The great English playwright took him by the hand and in the hearing of all, praised him gracefully and kindly. It ...

— The Lion and the Unicorn and Other Stories • Richard Harding Davis

... had left the shadow of the carriage and stepped into the moonlight, the Princess Aline saw Carlton draw her suddenly back and kiss her lightly on the cheek, and heard a protesting gasp, and saw Miss Morris pull her cloak over her head and run up the steps. Then she saw Carlton shake hands with them, and stand for a moment after they had disappeared, gazing up at the moon and fumbling in the pockets of his coat. He drew out a cigar-case and leisurely selected a cigar, and with much apparent content lighted it, and then, with his head, ...

— The Princess Aline • Richard Harding Davis

... longer regarded as a possible rival, Charlie became a mighty hunter; and you may be sure that he returned of an evening with sprigs of fir in his cap for the bucks he had slain, Franziska was not the last to come forward and shake hands with him and congratulate him, as is the custom in these primitive parts. And then she was quite made one of the family when we sat down to dinner in the long, low-roofed room; and nearly every evening, indeed, Tita would ...

— Stories By English Authors: Germany • Various

... door closed behind the Rev. Reuben Tripple and his influence in Lebanon. "I couldn't shake hands with him," said Ingolby to himself, "but I'm glad he didn't sniffle. There's some stuff in him—if it only has ...

— The Judgment House • Gilbert Parker

... of anything I ever had the brains to think up when I was a boy," laughed the man. "That's a good one! It sounded for all the world as though someone had smashed one of my windows with a brick-bat. Ha, ha, ha! That's an all right one! I'd be willing to shake hands with the boy who put up that joke on me. How about my own Timmy, I wonder? No; Timmy wouldn't be smart enough for this one—-but he may have smart friends. I'll look up ...

— The High School Boys' Fishing Trip • H. Irving Hancock

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