# shaken

/ˈʃeɪkən/ (US) · /ʃˈeɪkən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shaken
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. past participle of shake

verb · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: the past participle of the irregular verb 'shake'.

- The medicine should be shaken well before you use it.
- The witness had been visibly shaken by the cross-examination, though she maintained her composure until the court was adjourned.

### 2. upset or shocked

adjective · CEFR B1

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

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

- She was badly shaken after the car accident, but she wasn't hurt.
- The residents were left deeply shaken by the suddenness of the earthquake, despite the lack of structural damage to their homes.

### 3. damaged timber

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describes wood that has cracks or splits in it.

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

- The builder rejected the shaken timber because it wasn't strong enough.
- The surveyor noted several shaken beams in the attic, suggesting that the wood had been improperly seasoned before installation.

### 4. throwing star

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

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

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

- The museum displayed a collection of ancient shaken and other blades.
- Unlike the straight bo-shuriken, the shaken was designed to spin rapidly through the air to increase the likelihood of a strike.

## Examples

- She was visibly shaken after the car accident.
- The witness was so shaken by the events that she struggled to answer the lawyer's questions clearly.
- Even the most experienced emergency responders were left shaken by the scale of the disaster, requiring several days of debriefing to process what they had witnessed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.