shrug
UK: ʃrʌɡ | US: ʃrʌɡ
v. to raise and lower the shoulders slightly to express indifference, doubt, or lack of knowledge
n. an act of shrugging
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The word "shrug" originated in Middle English (late 14th century) as shruggen, likely imitative of the physical motion itself. It is related to Old English scrūdan ("to cover, clothe"), but the exact connection is unclear. The modern sense of raising the shoulders to express indifference emerged by the 16th century. As a compact, expressive gesture, the word resisted further morphological division.
She shrugged when asked about the missing documents.
His only response was a dismissive shrug.
"I don't know," he said with a shrug.
The politician shrugged off the criticism during the interview.
A shrug can sometimes speak louder than words.