the shakes

noun

informal
: a condition in which parts of the body move uncontrollably
He drank too much coffee and got a bad case of the shakes.
The whole experience gave me the shakes.

Examples of the shakes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Don’t miss the shakes in flavors such as peach or Big Red, or the banana pudding. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2024 My mental health was falling down the drain, getting the shakes. Brady Gerber, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2024 Of course, the shakes will only be around for a limited time (and McDonald's ice cream machines aren't always the most reliable), so don't wait to get your fix. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2024 Elevation Burger Locations will be open and celebrating with BOGO shakes from 3-5 p.m. Fatburger Pick up burgers for the crew and don't forget the shakes! Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 1 Sep. 2023 Sure, Monty’s is beloved for its burgers, chicken sandwiches and tots, but the shakes have developed a rabid following of their own. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2023 When our server brought them over, our eyes were as big as the shakes. Lois Alter Mark, Forbes, 31 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the shakes.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near the shakes

Cite this Entry

“The shakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20shakes. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!