From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_301_ashrugshrug1 /ʃrʌɡ/ ●●○ W3 verb (shrugged, shrugging) [intransitive, transitive] NOT KNOWDON'T CAREto raise and then lower your shoulders in order to show that you do not know something or do not care about something I just shrugged my shoulders and ignored him. Melanie shrugged and walked away. → shrug something ↔ off→ See Verb table
a very short cardigan
Examples from the Corpus
shrug• Mr. Mendez shrugged and both of them turned to the adobe.• Doug shrugged his shoulders in a familiar attitude of annoyance.• She could see shrugging impatience in his shoulders.• Jacob shrugs off the criticism, claiming she is working for the taxpayers, not special-interest groups.• It sort of humped up in the middle, sucking water with it, shrugging sprays of water from its wavy edges!shrugged ... shoulders• Jimmy looked enquiringly at him and Pete just shrugged his shoulders.• He shrugged his shoulders and it fell down his arms.• Most of his contemporaries would have shrugged their shoulders and let it remain as part of the natural order of things.• He shrugged his shoulders and waited for her to clarify her question.• She raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders at the chil-dren.• Clarence raised his head, looked at her, and shrugged his shoulders helplessly.• She looked at her sister, who shrugged her shoulders noncommittally.• She shrugged up her shoulders, obviously just enjoying this discussion no end.shrugshrug2 noun [countable] 1 [usually singular]HBH a movement of your shoulders upwards and then downwards again that you make to show that you do not know something or do not care about somethingwith a shrug ‘Suit yourself, ’ he said with a shrug.2 a very short cardiganExamples from the Corpus
shrug• With 64,000 people crammed into every square mile, the most utterly bizarre happenings raise barely a shrug of the shoulders.• It was a shrug the shoulders, sink the hands deep in the pockets and be fed up about the running nose cold.• Then, with a shrug, she opened one of the cubicle doors and ushered him inside.• Henry returned to his seat with an arrogant shrug of his shoulders.• With a faint shrug, he walked out, closing the door firmly behind him.with a shrug• Ewen came, with a shrug and a smile and a lifted eyebrow, and the two detectives close behind him.• People once accepted government greed and graft with a shrug of resignation.• Appeals to the crowd for a telephone met with shrugs.• His press campaign was met with a shrug of the shoulders.• He broke off with a shrug.• Stockdale recalls his vice- presidential run with a shrug.• The stock market roars with confidence and pays its capital-gains taxes with a shrug.• Polly stared after him, then, with a shrug, went into the tiny shower-room. 