What does "shimmy" mean?
A dance move involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately.
Shimmy
/ˈʃɪ.mi/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A dance move involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately.
- Grammar: shimmy is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: chemise, clog, dance, dance move.
- Useful contrasts: immobility, stability, stillness.
- Usage evidence: The tango, the Texas Tommy, Walking the Dog, the one step, the fox trot, the shimmy, and all their out-growths, had their origin in the palaces of lust on the Barbary Coast of San Francisco.
How to use "shimmy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "shimmy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "shimmy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "shimmy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "shimmy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "shimmy" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chemise" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "shimmy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A dance move involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately.
- 2 lively dancing (usually to ragtime music) with much shaking of the shoulders and hips wordnet
- 3 A dance that was popular in the 1920s.
"The tango, the Texas Tommy, Walking the Dog, the one step, the fox trot, the shimmy, and all their out-growths, had their origin in the palaces of lust on the Barbary Coast of San Francisco."
- 4 a woman's sleeveless undergarment wordnet
- 5 An abnormal vibration, especially in the wheels of a vehicle.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 an abnormal wobble in a motor vehicle (especially in the front wheels) wordnet
- 7 A sleeveless chemise. rare
Verb
- 1 To perform a shimmy (dance movement involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately).
"She wondered would he think her awful, and try to get fresh if she shimmied. Fellows often did. But he was so cute. And a girl had to something about that, and if she didn't shimmy, she might do something worse."
- 2 dance a shimmy wordnet
- 3 To climb something (e.g. a pole) gradually (e.g. using alternately one's arms then one's legs).
"He shimmied up the flagpole."
- 4 tremble or shake wordnet
- 5 To vibrate abnormally, as a broken wheel. intransitive
"They came in among earth-moving machines, a total absence of trees, the usual hieratic geometry, and eventually, shimmying for the sand roads, down in a helix to a sculptured body of water named Lake Inverarity."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To shake the body as if dancing the shimmy. intransitive, rare
- 7 To move across a narrow ledge, either by hanging from it or by strafing on it along the wall. intransitive
"Jump up to the ledge on your right and shimmy around the corner."
Antonyms
Example
"The tango, the Texas Tommy, Walking the Dog, the one step, the fox trot, the shimmy, and all their out-growths, had their origin in the palaces of lust on the Barbary Coast of San Francisco."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "shimmy"?
Common synonyms include: chemise, clog, dance, dance move, danced, dances.
How do you use "shimmy" in a sentence?
The tango, the Texas Tommy, Walking the Dog, the one step, the fox trot, the shimmy, and all their out-growths, had their origin in the palaces of lust on the Barbary Coast of San Francisco.
How do you pronounce "shimmy"?
Pronounced /ˈʃɪ.mi/.
Etymology
A back-formation from chemise (mistaken for a plural).