shake a leg
To get busy; to get going; to be productive.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Shake a leg, or we will be late for the movie.”
“We need to shake a leg if we want to finish this project before the office closes today.”
“The manager urged the team to shake a leg, noting that the deadline was approaching far faster than anyone had anticipated.”
- 01
an arm and a leg
Usually used after the verb cost, but also often charge, pay, and spend: a very high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price
- 02
brace of shakes
A very short time.
- 03
break a leg
Good luck!; Do your best!; Said to someone wishing they perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.
- 04
fair shake
Reasonable, unbiased treatment; a fair deal.
- 05
get a leg up
To get a boost or a lift.
- 06
give one's head a shake
To reassess the common sense of one's behaviour, ideas, etc.
- 07
hang a leg
To hesitate; to hang back.
- 08
make a leg
To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.
Last updated August 10, 2026