shrug

Meanings

Noun

• A lifting of the shoulders to signal indifference or a casual lack of knowledge.
• A cropped, cardigan-like garment with short or long sleeves, typically knitted.

Verb

• To raise (the shoulders) to express uncertainty, lack of concern, (formerly) dread, etc.

Origin

• From Middle English schruggen, shrukken, probably of North Germanic origin related to Danish skrugge, skrukke, Swedish skruga, skrukka, all from or related to Old Norse skrykkva, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. Compare also Old English scrincan ("to shrink"). More at shrink.