shaken
adjectiveverbnouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈʃeɪk(ə)n//
- United Kingdom//ˈʃɑːkɛn//
- United States//ˈʃeɪkən//
- United States//ˈʃɑkɛn//
Moved rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly.
adjective
- 1
Moved rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly.
[A] chief, / With shout and shaken spear / Stands at the prow, and guides them: […]
For the moment she felt like a shaken child—shaken out of its wailings into awe, and she said humbly—"I will try. I will think."
- 2
Moved rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly. Of a drink, especially (alcoholic beverages) a cocktail: mixed by being agitated with ice in a shaker.
The waiter brought the Martinis, shaken and not stirred, as [James] Bond had stipulated, and some slivers of lemon peel in a wine glass. Bond twisted two of them and let them sink to the bottom of his drink.
- 3
Caused to move (and usually weakened) by a strong force.
The earthquake led to many shaken buildings and structures.
The trunks [of trees] are crushed and shattered / By the fierce blast's unconquerable stress. / […] / And through the ruins of the shaken mountain / The airs hiss and howl— […]
- 4
archaicOf a cask: taken to pieces which are then tied up together for transportation.
A proportion for the ſetting foorth of a ſhip of 200. tunne, for the killing of the VVhale. […] 800. emptie ſhaken hogſheds, […]
- 5
Of something mined such as coal or ore: broken into pieces.
- 6
Of timber: damaged from being cracked.
[Y]ou muſt chuſe a piece of VVood at leaſt tvvo Inches and a quarter over, leſt you vvant Stuff to vvork on: Nay, if your Stuff prove ſhaken or othervviſe unſound, or your Centers be not very exactly pitcht, you may vvant yet more Stuff; […]
- 7
figurativeChiefly of a person: having had one's composure or confidence disrupted or upset; in a state of shock or trauma.
We were left shaken by the revelations of abuse.
My mother is tolerably well, I trust; though her spirits are greatly shaken. She is up stairs and will have great satisfaction in seeing you all. She does not yet leave her dressing-room.
The truth left many people shaken. They were shocked to realize that they'd been lied to about so many things. The Soviets began to reflect on what they understood about the history of the Communist Party. Five million out of the 19 million Party members publicly quit the CPSU [Communist Party of the Soviet Union] before its collapse.
- 8
figurativeWeakened by some event.
Be mov'd vvith pitty at the afflicted ſtate of this our ſhaken Monarchy, that novv lies labouring under the throvves, and ſtruggling againſt the grudges of more dreaded Calamities.
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English (i)shaken, from (i- (prefix forming past participle forms of verbs)) + shaken (“to tremble, shake; etc.”) + -en (suffix forming past participle forms of verbs). The adjective is derived from the verb. By surface analysis, shake (verb) + -n (a variant of -en (suffix forming past participle forms of verbs; and adjectives)).
verb
- 1
Also a form of shakepast participle of shake
noun
- 1
A flat shuriken (“dart or throwing blade”) resembling a spiked wheel, as opposed to the longer stick-like kind.
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 車剣 (しゃけん, shaken), from 車 (しゃ, sha, “vehicle; wheel”) + 剣 (けん, ken, “sword”).
Forms
- comparative
- more shaken
- superlative
- most shaken
shaken · Moved rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly.
shakes · Delirium tremens; typically due to alcohol withdrawal.Shakespeare · A surname.shaking · A movement that shakes.