An idiom in use since the early 1800s.
Meaning of No Great Shakes
When something is no great shakes it is ordinary, mediocre, average, or not very good; unimportant; insignificant; uninteresting.
Often, but not always, referring to a person, no great shakes can describe someone with little skill or value at what they do.
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Sentence Examples
“Even after all the classes, Liona is no great shakes as an actor. She should stick to her day job.”
“I made dinner but I warn you, I’m no great shakes at cooking.”
“As a cook, I’m no great shakes but I’m an excellent baker.”
“I don’t know why everyone is making such a big deal out of his latest book. It’s no great shakes.”
“England is no great shakes, huh? I mean, the buildings here look like, uh, the kennel back home.” — Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006)
“Warrel, it was completely raw!” “Don’t worry about it. My mum’s no great shakes in the kitchen either.” — Toast (2010)
“I’m like Mama. I can’t help liking you in spite of everything.” “Well I might say the same of you. You’re no great shakes as a son.” — Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1963)
“You may not be any great shakes as a detective, but you’re lucky. You’ll solve it. And your father will be proud of you.” — The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
“Jock Sinclair, you’re the most conceited man I’ve ever met. You’re not all that great shakes.” — Tunes of Glory (1960)
“Miss Baker is no great shakes as a dancer, and her singing beyond the third row is just a squeak in the dark.” — The Josephine Baker Story (1991)
No Great Shakes Origin
The most common suggestion is that this idiom arose from playing dice, where if you shake the dice and have a bad throw you have had ‘no great shake,’ or the odd but common notion that if you shake the device you will always have a bad throw. Other idioms using the word shake seem also to be related to dice:
A fair shake – a fair chance or a fair bargain.
In two shakes – in a moment.
At one time, no great shake may have been used to mean ‘a bad bargain’ making it the opposite of a fair shake.
Another, quite old suggestion that turned up in the literature search is that it arose from the shaking of walnut trees to dislodge the nuts. If the walnut crop is not good, there will be ‘no great shakes.’
As well, at one time, it was thought that the idiom came from the idea that you could judge someone’s character from their handshake.
The most credible origin seems to be the first.
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