ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shaken

v. · adj. · n.
US //ˈʃeɪkən// UK //ʃˈeɪkən// shak·en
  1. 1 past participle of shake (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    the form of 'shake' used after 'have' or 'be'.

    the past participle of the irregular verb 'shake'.

    Example

    The medicine should be shaken well before you use it.

    Example

    The witness had been visibly shaken by the cross-examination, though she maintained her composure until the court was adjourned.

    Pitfall
    He has shook the bottle.
    He has shaken the bottle.

    The past participle is 'shaken'; 'shook' is the simple past form.

  2. 2 upset or shocked (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    feeling very upset, surprised, or unsteady because of a bad experience.

    experiencing a temporary loss of composure or emotional stability due to a traumatic or startling event.

    Example

    She was badly shaken after the car accident, but she wasn't hurt.

    Example

    The residents were left deeply shaken by the suddenness of the earthquake, despite the lack of structural damage to their homes.
  3. 3 damaged timber (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    describes wood that has cracks or splits in it.

    referring to timber that has developed cracks or separations between the growth rings.

    Example

    The builder rejected the shaken timber because it wasn't strong enough.

    Example

    The surveyor noted several shaken beams in the attic, suggesting that the wood had been improperly seasoned before installation.
  4. 4 throwing star (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a type of Japanese throwing weapon that looks like a spiked wheel.

    a flat, wheel-shaped variety of shuriken used as a throwing weapon.

    Example

    The museum displayed a collection of ancient shaken and other blades.

    Example

    Unlike the straight bo-shuriken, the shaken was designed to spin rapidly through the air to increase the likelihood of a strike.
    • shuriken
    • throwing star
Etymology 1

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)).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Japanese 車剣 (しゃけん, shaken), from 車 (しゃ, sha, “vehicle; wheel”) + 剣 (けん, ken, “sword”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026