shimmy

/ˈʃɪmi/
verb
  1. To move or shake the body, especially the shoulders and hips, from side to side in a dancing motion.
    • He shimmied his shoulders to the rhythm of the song.
    • The dancers shimmied to the upbeat music.
    • She shimmied out of her coat without unbuttoning it.
  2. To vibrate or wobble abnormally, especially of a vehicle's wheels.
    • The old washing machine shimmied across the floor during the spin cycle.
    • If your steering wheel shimmies, you should check the tire balance.
    • The front wheel started to shimmy on the bumpy road.
  3. To move quickly or sneakily, often by sliding or wriggling through a narrow space.
    • He shimmied through the narrow gap in the fence.
    • The cat shimmied under the bed to hide.
    • She shimmied down the rope to escape the burning building.
noun
  1. A dance movement involving shaking the shoulders and hips rapidly from side to side.
    • He added a little shimmy to his walk to make everyone laugh.
    • She did a quick shimmy across the dance floor.
    • The dance routine included a playful shimmy.
  2. An abnormal vibration or wobble in a vehicle, especially in the front wheels.
    • The old truck had a constant shimmy that made driving uncomfortable.
    • The car developed a shimmy in the steering wheel at high speeds.
    • A mechanic fixed the shimmy by balancing the tires.
What does "shimmy" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean