shimmy

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shim·my / ˈshimē/ • n. (pl. -mies) 1. a kind of ragtime dance in which the whole body shakes or sways. ∎  shaking, esp. abnormal vibration of the wheels of a motor vehicle: steering stabilizers reduce shimmy even from oversized tires.2. archaic informal term for chemise.• v. (-mies, -mied) [intr.] dance the shimmy. ∎  shake or vibrate abnormally: he braked hard and felt the car shimmy dangerously. ∎  move with a graceful swaying motion: her hair swung in waves as she shimmied down the catwalk. ∎  move swiftly and effortlessly: he shimmied right to the top of one of the chimneys.

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