shrug

American  

[shruhg] / ʃrʌg /

verb (used with object)

shrugged, shrugging

1. to raise and contract (the shoulders), expressing indifference, disdain, etc.

---

verb (used without object)

shrugged, shrugging

1. to raise and contract the shoulders.

noun

1. the movement of raising and contracting the shoulders.

2. a short sweater or jacket that ends above or at the waistline.

verb phrase

1. shrug off

   1. to disregard; minimize.

      to shrug off an insult.

   2. to rid oneself of.

      to shrug off the effects of a drug.

shrug British  

/ ʃrʌɡ /

verb

1. to draw up and drop (the shoulders) abruptly in a gesture expressing indifference, contempt, ignorance, etc

---

noun

1. the gesture so made

2. a woman's short jacket or close-fitting cardigan

Other Word Forms

• unshrugging adjective

Etymology

Origin of shrug

1350–1400; (v.) Middle English schruggen to shudder, shrug < ?; (noun) late Middle English shrugge a tug, pull, derivative of the v.

Example Sentences

So far Ms. Takaichi is standing firm, and Mr. Furuya has shrugged off sanctions by saying he didn’t plan to visit China anyway.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sela shrugged and poked through a round tin of beads with her fingertip.

From Literature

I shrug like it’s not a big deal, even though it’s everything.

From Literature

“Or, you know, don’t. Don’t do anything,” Nine said, shrugging his bony shoulders.

From Literature

He added a critical caveat, however, by noting how five years of above-target inflation made it harder to assume the public would simply shrug off another round of rising prices.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bounce
• bump
• fling
• flop
• hurtle
• jolt
• lug
• snatch
• thrust
• tug
• twitch
• wiggle
• wrench
• wriggle
• wring
• yank