the shakes

Related to the shakes: Tremors

the shakes

Involuntarily trembling or shaking, as due to fear, anxiety, disease, or a reaction to (or withdrawal from) a substance, such as drugs or alcohol. I've been doing public speaking for nearly 10 years, but I still get the shakes when I have to get up in front of a packed auditorium. I'm trying to get sober and haven't had a drink in four days, but I've been having the shakes something fierce. My aunt has Parkinson's disease, and I know the shakes have made life really hard for her lately.
See also: shake
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

shakes

n. the delirium tremens. I got the shakes again. That’s what I get for putting soda water in my whiskey.
See also: shake
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • get the shakes
  • have the shakes
  • give (someone) the shakes
  • (one's) knees are shaking
  • your knees are knocking
  • your/somebody's knees are knocking
  • (one's) knees are knocking
  • (one's) knees knock together
  • be shaking like a leaf
  • in fear and trembling
References in periodicals archive
Applying the shakes to the roof isn't hard, either.
Twist again in the same way, and the shake should pop off the bolt.
Make your own shingles: with just a mallet, a froe and a few other tools, you can craft wooden shakos for your roof
The scientists are trying to reformulate the shakes and eliminate the cereal flavor.
The fiber content ranges from 2% to 2.2%, which qualifies the shakes as a good source of fiber.
Low-fat milk shakes a source of nutrients
Kids, with their "choosy" culinary tastes, weren't crazy about the shakes. Some comments: "Not sweet enough," "There's an aftertaste," and "Tastes like cereal."
"We're trying to reformulate the shakes and get rid of the cereal flavor," says Richard Konstance, a chemical engineer in the dairy unit.
Shaking Up the Future