shake-up

[sheyk-uhp]

noun

1. a thorough change in a business, department, or the like, as by dismissals, demotions, etc.

shake up

verb

1. to shake or agitate in order to mix

2. to reorganize drastically

3. to stir or rouse

4. to restore the shape of (a pillow, cushion, etc)

5. informal,  to disturb or shock mentally or physically

noun

1. informal,  a radical or drastic reorganization

Word History and Origins

Origin of shake up¹

First recorded in 1900–05; noun use of verb phrase shake up

Idioms and Phrases

Agitate in order to mix or loosen, as in This cough medicine needs to be thoroughly shaken up , or Please shake up these pillows .

Upset greatly, as in Even though no one was hurt, he was greatly shaken up by the accident . This usage alludes to being agitated like a liquid being shaken. Also see all shook up . [Late 1800s]

Subject to drastic rearrangement or reorganization, as in New management was bent on shaking up each division .

Example Sentences

A shake-up is clearly on the agenda of new Paramount owner Skydance Media.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Last week Qualifications Wales paused the most controversial part of the original shake-up plans, which was to scrap separate science GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics from September 2026.

Read more on BBC

The North Wales Safeguarding Board is one of five such boards covering Wales, established by a shake-up in social services and welfare laws back in 2014.

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As the dust settles, the H-1B shake-up looks less like a tax on foreign workers and more like a stress test for US companies - and the economy.

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The reorganization of the data annotators team comes on the back of a leadership shake-up at the team that saw nine employees reportedly exit the firm last week.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• disturb 
• reorganize 
• shock