shrug — to raise one's shoulders to express doubt, indifference, or lack of knowledge
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to raise one's shoulders to express doubt, indifference, or lack of knowledge
Pronunciation (IPA): /ʃrʌɡ/
Example Sentences
- The student shrugged when the teacher asked who broke the window.
- My cat just shrugged off the expensive toy and played with the cardboard box instead.
- When asked about his secret to success, the billionaire simply shrugged and said 'luck'.
shrug
VERB[/ʃrʌɡ/]
to raise one's shoulders to express doubt, indifference, or lack of knowledge
The boy shrugged when he could not find his missing sock.
The detective shrugged and raised his shoulders because nobody knew the answer. (SHRUG → SHOULDERS UP → raise your shoulders to say, "I don't know.")
He picked up a mug, heard a strange noise, and simply shrugged.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The origin of 'shrug' is uncertain but likely imitative in nature, possibly related to Old Norse or Scandinavian roots. It may be connected to similar shoulder-raising gestures expressed through onomatopoeia or related to words meaning to shake or shudder.
Breakdown
shrug (base word with no productive morphemes) = a single, indivisible unit; the word does not break down into smaller meaningful components
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The student shrugged when the teacher asked who broke the window.”
“My cat just shrugged off the expensive toy and played with the cardboard box instead.”
“When asked about his secret to success, the billionaire simply shrugged and said 'luck'.”
“She tried to shrug off the embarrassment, but her red face gave her away.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.