shimmy

[ shim-ee ]

noun

, plural shim·mies.

1. an American ragtime dance marked by shaking of the hips and shoulders.
2. excessive wobbling in the front wheels of a motor vehicle.
3. a chemise.

verb (used without object)

, shim·mied, shim·my·ing.

1. to dance the shimmy.
2. to shake, wobble, or vibrate.

shimmy

/ ˈʃɪmɪ /

noun

1. an American ragtime dance with much shaking of the hips and shoulders
2. abnormal wobbling motion in a motor vehicle, esp in the front wheels or steering
3. an informal word for chemise

verb

1. to dance the shimmy
2. to vibrate or wobble

Word History and Origins

Origin of shimmy¹

First recorded in 1830–40 shimmy fordef 3; 1915–20 shimmy fordef 1; back formation and respelling of chemise, construed as a plural

Word History and Origins

Origin of shimmy¹

C19: changed from chemise , mistakenly assumed to be plural

Example Sentences

At hourly intervals, music would start to play and women in their sequins and silks would emerge from behind a curtain to shimmy and shake their way across the room — heaven.

From Los Angeles Times

For the swimsuit portion of the Miss Argentina contest, Rodríguez chose a modest one-piece suit with a shawl draped over her shoulders, giving the crowd a shimmy as fans whooped and blew air horns.

From Seattle Times

Just when we thought the exaggerated “bat flip” was the height of arrogant showmanship, that insipid twist-and-wiggle shimmy shake, with arms raised in blatant self-aggrandizement, by all Dodger batters after every base hit, no matter the score, is bush league and proves Freud’s thesis: The ego is nothing other than the focus of conscious attention.

From Los Angeles Times

The remainder of Western Washington will remain dry, as temperatures shimmy up the thermometer a few degrees into the low 60s, the weather service said.

From Seattle Times

During Course No. 7 — and drink No. 3 — I did a shimmy because the food was that good.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• wobble