shake a stick at
Disparage; rail against.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“There are more coffee shops here than you can shake a stick at.”
“The city has more museums than you can shake a stick at, so you will never be bored.”
“In the aftermath of the gold rush, there were more prospectors than one could shake a stick at, all hoping to strike it rich.”
- 01
beat off with a stick
To reject (a person making an unwanted amorous approach).
- 02
beat with the ugly stick
Used to describe someone who is particularly ugly or unattractive.
- 03
brace of shakes
A very short time.
- 04
carrot and stick
The simultaneous rewarding of good behavior and punishing of bad behavior.
- 05
clue stick
A metaphorical stick used to beat information or understanding into a slow learner.
- 06
fair shake
Reasonable, unbiased treatment; a fair deal.
- 07
get on the stick
To get started; to begin working; to become active.
- 08
get stuck in
To dedicate a large amount of effort towards.
Last updated August 10, 2026