shake on it

English

Etymology

Refers to the use of a handshake to confirm an agreement.

Verb

shake on it (third-person singular simple present shakes on it, present participle shaking on it, simple past shook on it, past participle shaken on it)

1. (informal) To agree by shaking hands; to close a deal.

   I'll bring the contract tomorrow, and if everything looks good, we'll shake on it.

   Let's shake on it!

   • 1896, Clifton Johnson, “Odds”, in What They Say in New England (non-fiction), Boston, Massachusetts, United States: Lee and Shepard Publishers, page 63:

     Often when two persons make a bargain they at its conclusion “Shake hands on it” to make it binding.

See also

• gentleman's agreement