shake off

British  

verb

1. to remove or be removed with or as if with a quick movement

   she shook off her depression

2. (tr) to escape from; elude

   they shook off the police

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shake off Idioms  

1. Free oneself or get rid of something or someone, as in I've had a hard time shaking off this cold, or She forged ahead, shaking off all the other runners. It is also put as give someone the shake, as in We managed to give our pursuers the shake. The first term dates from the late 1300s; the slangy variant dates from the second half of the 1800s.

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Example Sentences

The BofA note came at the right time as the market begins to shake off its AI fears.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Crystal Palace are another team who have had Europe on their minds, and it might be difficult for them to shake off that mindset.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

The question for Guy is whether he can ultimately shake off the performance.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

But if Arsenal shake off the pressure and the mental tiredness that seems to be making it harder, they could feel they have nothing to lose by then.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

I was trying to shake off a thought, but as I opened the police report and began scanning through it, the thought grew.

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green