shake out

To move cloth sharply to remove dirt or spread it flat.

• Shake out the rug outside.
• She shook out the sheet and spread it on the bed.
• Have you shaken the crumbs out of the tablecloth?

How to use it: shake out something (Shake out the blanket before folding it.)

Common phrases: shake out something, shake something out

To develop or end in a particular way.

• Let us see how things shake out.
• The deal shook out better than we expected.
• Nobody knows how the election will shake out.

How to use it: how something shakes out (We will see how the new arrangement shakes out.)

Similar words: turn out, play out

Common phrases: shake out well, shake out differently

To move your arms or legs loosely to reduce tiredness or tightness in the muscles.

• Shake out your arms.
• He stopped climbing to shake out his tired hands.
• The dancers shook their legs out between exercises.

How to use it: shake out something (The runner shook out her legs before the race.)

Similar words: loosen up

Common phrases: shake out arms, shake out legs

To release a folded part of a sail so that more of it catches the wind.

• We can shake out a reef now.
• The sailors shook out both reefs as the wind dropped.
• Do not shake out the last reef in this strong wind.

How to use it: shake out a reef (The crew shook out a reef when the wind eased.)

Similar words: unreef

Opposites: reef

Common phrases: shake out reefs, shake out something