Shook vs. Shock: What's the Difference?
By Janet White || Updated on May 22, 2024
Shook is the past tense of "shake" and describes a physical action or emotional state, while shock refers to a sudden, intense disturbance or a medical condition of reduced blood flow.
Key Differences
Shook is the past tense of the verb "shake," indicating a completed action of moving something back and forth or up and down. It can also describe a state of being emotionally disturbed or surprised. Shock, on the other hand, is primarily a noun that describes a sudden and intense disturbance, either emotional or physical. It can refer to a feeling of surprise or dismay, or a medical condition where the body is not getting enough blood flow.
Shook can also function as an adjective in informal contexts, describing someone who is emotionally unsettled or surprised. For instance, "He was shook after hearing the verdict." Whereas shock, as a noun, covers a range of meanings including electrical shock, a sudden financial disturbance, or a severe physical reaction.
In terms of usage, shook is used as a verb or informal adjective, indicating an action or state. Shock, however, is mainly a noun that describes an event or condition, but it can also be a verb meaning to cause surprise or disturbance. For example, "The earthquake shook the building" versus "The earthquake caused a shock in the community."
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Past tense verb, informal adjective
Noun, occasionally verb
Definition
Past tense of shake
Sudden intense disturbance
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Emotional Use
Indicates emotional disturbance
Describes a feeling of surprise or dismay
Medical Use
Not applicable
Condition of insufficient blood flow
Informal Use
Describes someone unsettled
Often used to describe surprise
Shook and Shock Definitions
Shook
Emotionally disturbed.
She was shook by the unexpected news.
Shock
Sudden intense disturbance.
The news came as a shock.
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Shook
Past tense of "shake."
He shook the bottle before drinking.
Shock
Medical condition of reduced blood flow.
He was in shock after the accident.
Shook
Indicates something was moved vigorously.
He shook the rug to clean it.
Shock
Electrical jolt.
He got a shock from the faulty wire.
Shook
A set of parts for assembling a barrel or packing box.
Shock
A violent collision, impact, or explosion, or the force or movement resulting from this
The shock of the explosion blew out windows of every building on the street.
Shook
Past tense of shake.
Shock
Something that suddenly causes emotional distress
The news of his death was a shock to all of us.
Shook
A set of pieces for making a cask or box, usually wood.
Shock
A sudden feeling of distress
The shock of the news has not yet worn off.
Shook
The parts of a piece of house furniture, as a bedstead, packed together.
Shock
A massive, acute physiological reaction usually to physical trauma, infection, or allergy, characterized by a marked loss of blood pressure, resulting in a diminished blood flow to body tissues and a rapid heart rate.
Shook
To pack (staves, etc.) in a shook.
Shock
The sensation and muscular spasm caused by an electric current passing through the body or a body part.
Shook
(slang) Shaken up; rattled; shocked or surprised.
I am shook.
Shock
A sudden economic disturbance, such as a rise in the price of a commodity.
Shook
(slang) Emotionally upset or disturbed; scared
Shock
A shock absorber.
Shook
A set of staves and headings sufficient in number for one hogshead, cask, barrel, or the like, trimmed, and bound together in compact form.
Shock
A number of sheaves of grain stacked upright in a field for drying.
Shook
To pack, as staves, in a shook.
Shock
A thick heavy mass
A shock of white hair.
Shook
A disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
Shock
To surprise and disturb greatly
We were shocked by his admission of wrongdoing.
Shook
Informally describes surprise.
I was shook when I saw the price.
Shock
To induce a state of physical shock in (an animal or person).
Shook
Describes physical movement.
The earthquake shook the building.
Shock
To subject (an animal or person) to an electric shock.
Shock
To administer electric current to (a patient) to treat cardiac arrest or life-threatening arrhythmias.
Shock
To administer electroconvulsive therapy to (a patient).
Shock
To come into contact violently, as in battle; collide.
Shock
To gather (grain) into shocks.
Shock
A sudden, heavy impact.
The train hit the buffers with a great shock.
Shock
(figuratively) Something so surprising that it is stunning.
Shock
(psychology) A sudden or violent mental or emotional disturbance.
Shock
(medicine) Electric shock, a sudden burst of electrical energy hitting a person or animal.
Shock
(psychology) A state of distress following a mental or emotional disturbance.
Fans were in shock in the days following the singer's death.
Shock
(medicine) Circulatory shock, a medical emergency characterized by the inability of the circulatory system to supply enough oxygen to meet tissue requirements.
Shock
(physics) A shock wave.
Several reflected shocks enter the bomb core in rapid succession, each helping to compress it to its maximum density.
Shock
A shock absorber (typically in the suspension of a vehicle).
If your truck's been riding rough, it might need new shocks.
Shock
(mathematics) A discontinuity arising in the solution of a partial differential equation.
Shock
A chemical added to a swimming pool to moderate the chlorine levels.
Shock
An arrangement of sheaves for drying; a stook.
Shock
A lot consisting of sixty pieces; a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.
Shock
(by extension) A tuft or bunch of something, such as hair or grass.
His head boasted a shock of sandy hair.
Shock
(obsolete) A small dog with long shaggy hair, especially a poodle or spitz; a shaggy lapdog.
Shock
Causing intense surprise, horror, etc.; unexpected and shocking.
His shock announcement rocked the tennis world.
Shock
(transitive) To cause to be emotionally shocked; to cause (someone) to feel surprised and upset.
The disaster shocked the world.
Shock
(transitive) To give an electric shock to.
Shock
(transitive) To subject to a shock wave or violent impact.
Ammonium nitrate can detonate if severely shocked.
Shock
To meet with a shock; to collide in a violent encounter.
Shock
(transitive) To add a chemical to (a swimming pool) to moderate the chlorine levels.
Shock
(transitive) To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook.
To shock rye
Shock
A pile or assemblage of sheaves of grain, as wheat, rye, or the like, set up in a field, the sheaves varying in number from twelve to sixteen; a stook.
And cause it on shocks to be by and by set.
Behind the master walks, builds up the shocks.
Shock
A lot consisting of sixty pieces; - a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.
Shock
A quivering or shaking which is the effect of a blow, collision, or violent impulse; a blow, impact, or collision; a concussion; a sudden violent impulse or onset.
These strong, unshaken mounds resist the shocksOf tides and seas tempestuous.
He stood the shock of a whole host of foes.
Shock
A sudden agitation of the mind or feelings; a sensation of pleasure or pain caused by something unexpected or overpowering; also, a sudden agitating or overpowering event.
Shock
A sudden depression of the vital forces of the entire body, or of a port of it, marking some profound impression produced upon the nervous system, as by severe injury, overpowering emotion, or the like.
Shock
The sudden convulsion or contraction of the muscles, with the feeling of a concussion, caused by the discharge, through the animal system, of electricity from a charged body.
Shock
A dog with long hair or shag; - called also shockdog.
Shock
A thick mass of bushy hair; as, a head covered with a shock of sandy hair.
Shock
To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook; as, to shock rye.
Shock
To be occupied with making shocks.
Reap well, scatter not, gather clean that is shorn,Bind fast, shock apace.
Shock
To give a shock to; to cause to shake or waver; hence, to strike against suddenly; to encounter with violence.
Come the three corners of the world in arms,And we shall shock them.
I shall never forget the force with which he shocked De Vipont.
Shock
To strike with surprise, terror, horror, or disgust; to cause to recoil; as, his violence shocked his associates.
Advise him not to shock a father's will.
Shock
To subject to the action of an electrical discharge so as to cause a more or less violent depression or commotion of the nervous system.
Shock
To meet with a shock; to meet in violent encounter.
Shock
Bushy; shaggy; as, a shock hair.
His red shock peruke . . . was laid aside.
Shock
The feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally;
His mother's deathleft him in a daze
He was numb with shock
Shock
The violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat;
The armies met in the shock of battle
Shock
A reflex response to the passage of electric current through the body;
Subjects received a small electric shock when they mae the wrong response
Electricians get accustomed to occasional shocks
Shock
(pathology) bodily collapse or near collapse caused by inadequate oxygen delivery to the cells; characterized by reduced cardiac output and rapid heartbeat and circulatory insufficiency and pallor;
Loss of blood is an important cause of shock
Shock
An instance of agitation of the earth's crust;
The first shock of the earthquake came shortly after noon while workers were at lunch
Shock
An unpleasant or disappointing surprise;
It came as a shock to learn that he was injured
Shock
A pile of sheaves of grain set on end in a field to dry; stalks of Indian corn set up in a field;
Corn is bound in small sheeves and several sheeves are set up together in shocks
Whole fields of wheat in shock
Shock
A bushy thick mass (especially hair);
He had an unruly shock of black hair
Shock
A mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses;
The old car needed a new set of shocks
Shock
Surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off;
I was floored when I heard that I was promoted
Shock
Strike with disgust or revulsion;
The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends
Shock
Strike with horror or terror;
The news of the bombing shocked her
Shock
Collide violently
Shock
Collect or gather into shocks;
Shock grain
Shock
Subject to electrical shocks
Shock
Inflict a trauma upon
Shock
Feeling of surprise or dismay.
She looked at him in shock.
Shock
Sudden financial disturbance.
The market crash was a shock to investors.
FAQs
What does "shook" mean?
"Shook" is the past tense of "shake" and can describe physical movement or emotional disturbance.
How is "shook" used in a sentence?
e.g., "The earthquake shook the entire city."
Can "shook" be used as an adjective?
Yes, informally, "shook" can describe someone who is emotionally unsettled or surprised.
Is "shock" always a noun?
No, "shock" can also be a verb meaning to cause surprise or disturbance.
Can "shook" indicate an emotional state?
Yes, it can describe someone who is emotionally disturbed or surprised.
What types of disturbances can "shock" describe?
Emotional, physical, financial, or electrical disturbances.
How is "shock" used in a sentence?
e.g., "The news of his resignation was a complete shock."
What is an example of "shook" in a physical context?
e.g., "He shook the paint can vigorously."
What is "shock" in medical terms?
In medical terms, shock is a condition where the body isn't getting enough blood flow.
What is an example of "shock" in an emotional context?
e.g., "She stared in shock at the unexpected results."
How do you describe someone who is extremely surprised using "shook"?
You could say, "He was completely shook by the announcement."
What is the difference between "shock" and "surprise"?
Shock implies a more intense and sudden disturbance compared to surprise.
Is "shook" used in formal writing?
It's less common in formal writing, especially as an adjective.
Can "shock" describe a financial event?
Yes, a sudden financial disturbance can be referred to as a shock.
Can "shock" be mild or severe?
Yes, shock can range from mild surprise to severe medical conditions.
Is "shook" considered slang?
When used as an adjective to describe surprise or disturbance, it can be considered slang.
Is "shook" commonly used in daily conversation?
Yes, especially in informal contexts.
Can "shock" be used to describe a reaction to good news?
Yes, shock can describe any intense and sudden reaction, whether positive or negative.
What does it mean when someone says, "I'm shook"?
It means they are emotionally disturbed or extremely surprised.
What is the root verb of "shook"?
The root verb of "shook" is "shake."
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
