SHIMMY (shimmied)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: shimmied   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does shimmy mean? 

• SHIMMY (noun)
  The noun SHIMMY has 3 senses:

1. an abnormal wobble in a motor vehicle (especially in the front wheels)

2. a woman's sleeveless undergarment

3. lively dancing (usually to ragtime music) with much shaking of the shoulders and hips

  Familiarity information: SHIMMY used as a noun is uncommon.

• SHIMMY (verb)
  The verb SHIMMY has 2 senses:

1. tremble or shake

2. dance a shimmy

  Familiarity information: SHIMMY used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SHIMMY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An abnormal wobble in a motor vehicle (especially in the front wheels)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

he could feel the shimmy in the steering wheel

Hypernyms ("shimmy" is a kind of...):

wobble (an unsteady rocking motion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A woman's sleeveless undergarment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

chemise; shift; shimmy; slip; teddy

Hypernyms ("shimmy" is a kind of...):

undergarment; unmentionable (a garment worn under other garments)

Meronyms (parts of "shimmy"):

shoulder strap; strap (a band that goes over the shoulder and supports a garment or bag)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Lively dancing (usually to ragtime music) with much shaking of the shoulders and hips

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("shimmy" is a kind of...):

social dancing (dancing as part of a social occasion)

Derivation:

shimmy (dance a shimmy)

• SHIMMY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they shimmy    ... he / she / it shimmies   
Past simple: shimmied   
Past participle: shimmied   
-ing form: shimmying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Tremble or shake

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

shimmy; wobble

Context example:

His voice wobbled with restrained emotion

Hypernyms (to "shimmy" is one way to...):

vibrate (shake, quiver, or throb; move back and forth rapidly, usually in an uncontrolled manner)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Dance a shimmy

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "shimmy" is one way to...):

dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)

Domain category:

dance; dancing; saltation; terpsichore (taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue shimmy

Derivation:

shimmy (lively dancing (usually to ragtime music) with much shaking of the shoulders and hips)