shake off
To get rid of something that you don't want — like a bad feeling, a cold, or someone following you.
Meanings
To free yourself from an illness, emotion, or negative condition through effort or time.
"She couldn't shake off the feeling that she had forgotten something important."
To escape from someone who is following or chasing you.
"The spy ducked into a crowded market to shake off the agents pursuing him."
To remove something by shaking your body or an object.
"He shook off the snow from his coat before stepping inside."
Used very broadly — you can shake off a cold, shake off a bad mood, shake off a tackle in sport, or shake off someone following you. Very common in both spoken and written English across all contexts.
Commonly used with
Forms
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