ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shook

v. · adj. · n.
US //ˈʃʊk// UK //ʃˈʊk// shook
  1. 1 past tense of shake (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    the past tense of shake — used when something moved quickly up and down or side to side.

    the simple past tense of the irregular verb 'shake'.

    Example

    The ground shook for a few seconds during the small earthquake.

    Example

    The witness shook her head in disagreement when the lawyer suggested she had been mistaken about the time of the incident.

    • trembled
    • vibrated
    • quaked
    Pitfall
    He has shook the bottle already.
    He has shaken the bottle already.

    While 'shook' is the past tense, the past participle used with 'has' or 'have' is 'shaken'.

  2. 2 shocked or surprised (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Slang

    feeling very surprised, shocked, or upset by something unexpected.

    emotionally unsettled, surprised, or shocked. Used predicatively in informal contexts to describe a state of being rattled.

    Example

    I was honestly shook when I found out I won the competition.

    Example

    The entire fanbase was shook after the show's finale delivered a twist that no one had predicted.

    Usage

    Almost always follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'feel'.

Show 1 more senseShow fewer
  1. 3 parts for a box (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a set of wooden pieces ready to be put together to make a box or a barrel.

    a set of staves or parts for a cask, barrel, or box, packed together for transport before assembly.

    Example

    The carpenter ordered a shook of oak to build the new wine barrels.

    Example

    The factory exported the furniture as a shook to save on shipping costs, requiring the customer to assemble the pieces upon arrival.

Origin

Compare shock (“a bundle of sheaves”).

© 2026 English Reference