# shrug

Pronunciation: say "SHRUG" /ʃɹʌɡ/

## Verb

1. To raise the shoulders briefly to express uncertainty, lack of concern, or, in former use, dread.
   - Simple: To lift your shoulders for a quick moment to show you do not know or do not care.
   - _He shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his screen._
   - _Commuters simply shrug at minor delays and keep scrolling their phones._

## Noun

2. A raising of the shoulders that shows indifference or a casual admission of not knowing.
   - Simple: A quick lift of your shoulders that shows you do not know or do not care.
   - _The senator's only response to the allegations was a dismissive shrug._
   - _His constant shrugs frustrated the teacher, who wanted spoken answers._
3. A cropped, cardigan-like garment with short or long sleeves, typically knitted and worn over other clothing.
   - Simple: A small knitted top, like a very short sweater, that covers the shoulders and arms.
   - _The bridesmaids each wore a lace shrug over their sleeveless gowns._
   - _Lightweight shrugs sell well in spring, when evenings are still cool._

## Origin

From Middle English schruggen or shrukken, probably of North Germanic origin, related to Danish skrugge, skrukke and Swedish skruga, skrukka ("to stoop; crouch; huddle"), all connected to Old Norse skrykkva and Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. It is also compared with Old English scrincan ("to shrink").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/shrug (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).