shuffle
shuffle
verb
/ˈʃʌfl/
1 ​intransitive + adv./prep. to walk slowly without lifting your feet completely off the ground
He shuffled across the room to the window.
The line shuffled forward a little.
Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them.
She spent her day shuffling around the streets of London.
The man shuffled off into the night.
Collocations
adverb
quickly
slowly
awkwardly
preposition
across
down
into
2 ​transitive, intransitive shuffle (something) to move from one foot to another, especially because you are bored, nervous or embarrassed
Jenny shuffled her feet and blushed with shame.
The boys shuffled around uncomfortably.
Collocations
adverb
nervously
uncomfortably
uneasily
phrases
shuffle from foot to foot
shuffle from one foot to the other
shuffle in your chair
3 ​transitive, intransitive shuffle (something) to mix cards up in a pack of playing cards before playing a game
Shuffle the cards and deal out seven to each player.
I shuffled the deck, then pulled a card out from the middle.
Whose turn is it to shuffle?
4 ​transitive shuffle something to move paper or things into different positions or a different order
I shuffled the documents on my desk.
Don't worry, I should be able to shuffle some of the classes around.
shuffle
noun
/ˈʃʌfl/
usually singular
1 ​a slow walk in which you take small steps and do not lift your feet completely off the ground
He walked with a shuffle.
There was a shuffle of feet as the room emptied.
2 ​the act of mixing cards before a card game
Give the cards a good shuffle.
TOPICS Games and toys C2
3 a type of dancing in which you take small steps and do not lift your feet completely off the ground
4 ​(also reshuffle) a change in the jobs that a group of people do, for example in a government
Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: perhaps from Low German schuffeln ‘walk clumsily’, also ‘deal dishonestly, shuffle (cards)’, of Germanic origin; related to shove and scuffle.