Origin of shrug

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

OTHER WORDS FROM shrug

un·shrug·ging, adjective

Words nearby shrug

shrub, shrub layer, shrubbery, shrubby, shrubby cinquefoil, shrug, shrug off, shrug one's shoulders, shrunk, shrunken, sht.

Words related to shrug off

dismiss, disregard, ignore, minimize

British Dictionary definitions for shrug off (1 of 2)

shrug off

verb (tr, adverb)

to minimize the importance of; dismiss
to get rid of
to wriggle out of or push off (clothing)

British Dictionary definitions for shrug off (2 of 2)

shrug
/ (ʃrʌɡ) /

verb shrugs, shrugging or shrugged

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

noun

the gesture so made
a woman's short jacket or close-fitting cardigan

Word Origin for shrug

C14: of uncertain origin

Idioms and Phrases with shrug off

shrug off
1

Minimize the importance of, as in That nasty review didn't bother him at all; he just shrugged it off. [Early 1900s]

2

Get rid of, as in She managed to shrug off her drowsiness and keep driving. [Mid-1900s]

3

Wriggle out of a garment, as in He shrugged off his coat. [First half of 1900s]