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Wiggle vs Shimmy - What's the difference?

wiggle | shimmy |

As verbs the difference between wiggle and shimmy

is that wiggle is (intransitive) to move with irregular, back and forward or side to side motions; to shake or jiggle while shimmy is (dance) to perform a (dance movement involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately).

As nouns the difference between wiggle and shimmy

is that wiggle is a wiggling movement while shimmy is a dance movement involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately.

wiggle

English

Verb

  • (intransitive) To move with irregular, back and forward or side to side motions; To shake or jiggle.
    • Her hips wiggle as she walks.
    The jelly wiggle s on the plate when you move it.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A wiggling movement.
    • She walked with a sexy wiggle .
  • (in the plural)

    • Derived terms

    * get a wiggle on * wiggle room * wiggly English frequentative verbs

    shimmy

    English

    (wikipedia shimmy)

    Noun

    (shimmies)
  • A dance movement involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately.
  • An abnormal vibration, especially in the wheels of a vehicle.
  • A dance that was popular in the 1920s.
  • (rare) A sleeveless chemise.

    • Verb

  • (dance) To perform a (dance movement involving thrusting the shoulders back and forth alternately).
  • To climb something (e.g. a pole) gradually (e.g. using alternately one's arms then one's legs).
    • He shimmied up the flagpole.
    The static made her dress shimmy up her leg.
  • To vibrate abnormally, as a broken wheel.
  • (rare) To shake the body as if dancing the shimmy.

    • Synonyms

    * (climb a pole) shinny, shin (qualifier)