Disturbed, upset, or physically trembling from shock, fear, or strong emotion. Past participle of shake.
From Old English 'sceacan' meaning to move rapidly back and forth. The figurative sense of being emotionally disturbed developed in Middle English, extending the physical motion to psychological states.
The word 'shaken' perfectly captures how emotional trauma mirrors physical instability - our language recognizes that psychological disruption literally manifests in our bodies. James Bond's preference for martinis 'shaken, not stirred' ironically uses a word associated with disturbance for his unflappable character.
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