German word

schütteln

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʃʏtl̩n/

Meaning

  • verbshake

Example

Ich schüttle die Flasche.

I shake the bottle.

Illustration for schütteln (shake)

More examples

Er schüttelt den Kopf, um seine Ablehnung zu zeigen.

He shakes his head to show his disapproval.

Core concept

A bottle or body moving in quick repeated motions from side to side, with the same motion extending to hands and heads.

Common phrases

  • jemandem die Hand schütteln

    shake hands

  • etwas schütteln

    shake ___

  • den Kopf schütteln

    shake one's head

Similar words

nicken: To move the head up and down to show agreement.
rühren: To stir a liquid in circles with a spoon or similar tool.
rütteln: To jolt something with short, forceful, repeated movements.
wackeln: To sway in small, unsteady movements because of loose support.

Definition in German

Etwas durch kurze, wiederholte Bewegungen hin und her bewegen oder rütteln; in festen Wendungen auch jemandem die Hand schütteln (Händedruck) oder den Kopf schütteln (Ablehnung) bedeuten.

Word origin

Schütteln is an inherited Germanic verb, attested in Middle High German as schütteln and in Old High German as skuttilōn.

Usage tips

  • In the expression jemandem die Hand schütteln, the person is in the dative, while die Hand is the accusative object.

Other meanings

  • jiggleverb
  • shake upverb

Opposites

  • fixierenfixverb
  • ruhigstellenimmobilizeverb

Related words

  • geschütteltshakenadjective
  • Schüttelungshakingnoun

Word lists with this word