Definition of "shrug" []

• To raise (the shoulders), especially as a gesture of doubt, disdain, or indifference. (verb-transitive)
• To raise the shoulders, especially as a gesture of doubt, disdain, or indifference. (verb-intransitive)
• An expressive gesture of raising the shoulders. (noun)
• A woman's short jacket or sweater open down the front. (noun)
• Shrug off To minimize the importance of: shrugged off the defeat and talked about tonight's game. (phrasal-verb)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The reason we are told with a shrug is always the same: This is Serbia."
• "(Seriously, that shrug is just as tired as a group of CBS sitcom cast members dancing in an ad.)"
• "I imagine you got some sympathy and a shoulder shrug from the officials, not that they were dismissing you but its pretty nervy to go complain about noise."