Definition

1. Phrasal Verb:
   • To get rid of something unwanted or burdensome: To free oneself from something, such as a physical object, a feeling, a person, or a reputation.
   • To escape from someone who is following or chasing you: To manage to get away from a pursuer.

Examples of Usage

• To get rid of a feeling or condition:
  • After a long week, I went for a run to try and shake off my stress.
  • He took some medicine but couldn't shake off the cold.
• To get rid of a person or pursuer:
  • The spy turned down a side street to shake off the agent who was tailing him.
  • I thought I had shaken off the paparazzi, but they found me again.
• To get rid of a reputation or image:
  • The company is trying to shake off its outdated image and appeal to younger customers.
  • It took her years to shake off the label of being a child star.

Advanced Usage

• "Shake off the dust from your feet": An idiomatic expression meaning to leave a place or situation decisively, especially after a bad experience, and not look back.
  • After the failed partnership, he decided to shake off the dust from his feet and start a new business elsewhere.

Variants and Related Words

• Shake (verb): To move back and forth or up and down with quick, forceful movements.
  • Shake the bottle before opening.
• Shake-up (noun): A major reorganization or sudden change.
  • The new manager announced a major shake-up of the department.

Synonyms

• Get rid of: To remove or free oneself from something.
• Shed: To allow something to fall off; to get rid of.
• Escape from: To break free from confinement or danger.
• Lose: To become free of someone who is following you.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Shake down: 1) To extort money from someone. 2) To search a person or place thoroughly. 3) To test a new system or process.
  • The gang was shaking down local businesses for protection money.
  • We need to shake down the new software before the official launch.
• Shake out: 1) To shake something so that loose parts fall off. 2) To result or develop in a certain way.
  • She shook out the rug to remove the sand.
  • We'll have to wait and see how the new policy shakes out.

Related Idioms

• Shake a leg!: Hurry up!
  • Shake a leg! We're going to be late!
• No great shakes: Not very good or impressive.
  • His latest movie was no great shakes, according to the critics.

Verb

1. get rid of
   • he shed his image as a pushy boss
   • shed your clothes
2. get rid of
   • I couldn't shake the car that was following me