The phrase "more shook up" refers to someone or something that is even more physically or emotionally disturbed than before. The word "shook" is spelled with two "o"s and a "k," and is pronounced /ʃʊk/. When adding the comparative "more" before it, the final "e" is dropped and "up" is added, resulting in "more shookup" /mɔr ʃʊk'ʌp/. This phrase is often used colloquially and is sometimes spelled as "more shook up" or "more shaken up."
"More shook up" is a colloquial phrase that describes a state of being extremely startled, disturbed, or deeply affected by a specific event or situation. The phrase is an exaggerated form of the term "shook up," which means to be alarmed or shaken.
When someone is "more shook up," it implies that their level of shock or emotional upheaval exceeds the usual or expected reaction. It denotes a heightened degree of disturbance or disruption to one's emotional well-being. This phrase is commonly used in informal conversations, particularly in casual contexts or when describing personal experiences.
For instance, if a person witnesses a traumatic accident or experiences a particularly distressing event, they might express that they are "more shook up than ever before." This communicates that the incident has had an intense and lasting impact on their emotions, potentially leading to feelings of fear, anxiety, or unease.
Overall, the phrase "more shook up" emphasizes a greater magnitude of emotional distress or disturbance, highlighting a profound effect that surpasses the ordinary level of shock or disturbance typically associated with a given situation.
"More shook up" is a phrase derived from the word "shook" or "shaken". Here is the etymology of the relevant terms:
1. Shook: The term "shook" is the past participle form of the verb "shake". It originated from Middle English "shaken", derived from Old English "sceacan". The Old English word "sceacan" is related to the Middle Low German "schacken" and the Middle Dutch "schaken".
2. Shaken: The past participle form "shaken" emerged in Middle English around the 14th century. It developed from the Middle English verb "shake" and shared the same Germanic roots mentioned above.
The phrase "more shook up" follows the pattern of comparative adjectives in English, where "more" is added to the base word to indicate a higher degree of the described state or condition.