shrug
pronunciation
How to pronounce shrug in British English:
UK [ʃrʌɡ]
How to pronounce shrug in American English:
US [ʃrʌɡ]
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- Noun:
- a gesture involving the shoulders
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- Verb:
- raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation
Word Origin
- shrug (n.)
- a shoulder motion meant to express indifference, want of an answer, etc., 1590s, from shrug (v.).
- shrug (v.)
- c. 1400, schurgyng, of uncertain origin. Perhaps connected to Danish skrugge "to stoop, crouch." Related: Shrugged; shrugging. To shrug (something) off "dismiss" is recorded from 1909.
Example
- 1. The obvious response to all this is to shrug .
- 2. When someone asks me this I just shrug and smile .
- 3. She gets angry when I shrug my shoulders .
- 4. Western observers may shrug , saying they 've seen it all before .
- 5. Although he can shrug his shoulders and move his head , he needs help to breathe .