milkshake: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1informal, everyday; the business use is jargon.
Quick answer
What does “milkshake” mean?
A cold drink made by blending milk with ice cream and flavorings like chocolate or fruit syrup.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cold drink made by blending milk with ice cream and flavorings like chocolate or fruit syrup.
In business slang, can refer to a strategy of attracting customers or capital away from competitors. Also refers to a type of dance move popular in the 2000s.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'milkshake' often refers to a simpler, less thick drink made with milk and syrup (no ice cream). The version with ice cream may be specified as a 'thick shake' or 'frappe'.
Connotations
In the US, strongly associated with diners, soda fountains, and indulgence. In the UK, can be seen as a simpler children's drink.
Frequency
The word is common in both varieties, but the typical recipe/image invoked differs.
Grammar
How to Use “milkshake” in a Sentence
to have a milkshaketo order a milkshaketo make a milkshake (from/with)to sip on a milkshakeVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The new bank's high-interest rates are making a milkshake, pulling deposits from the entire region.
Academic
The study compared the nutritional content of fast-food milkshakes with homemade versions.
Everyday
Let's stop by the diner and get a milkshake to share.
Technical
The viscosity of the product was adjusted to mimic that of a classic chocolate milkshake.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “milkshake”
- Using 'milkshake' for a fruit smoothie made without dairy (e.g., 'a banana milkshake' is acceptable if it contains milk/ice cream; a pure blended banana drink is a smoothie).
- Pronouncing it as two separate words: 'milk shake'. It's a closed compound.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In the US, particularly in New England, 'frappe' is a regional term for a milkshake made with ice cream. Elsewhere, a frappe is often a blended, iced coffee drink.
Yes, particularly in the UK, where it's commonly made with just milk and flavoured syrup. In the US, this would often be called a 'shake' but might be clarified as a 'syrup shake' or 'no-ice-cream shake'.
It's a metaphor for a unique, attractive, and enticing quality or asset that the singer possesses, which draws admiration ("brings all the boys to the yard").
It is a countable noun. You order 'a milkshake' or 'two milkshakes'. You can also use it in an uncountable way to refer to the substance (e.g., 'There's milkshake on your shirt').
A cold drink made by blending milk with ice cream and flavorings like chocolate or fruit syrup.
Milkshake is usually informal, everyday; the business use is jargon. in register.
Milkshake: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɪlkʃeɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɪlkʃeɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bring all the boys to the yard (from the song 'Milkshake' by Kelis, meaning to have an attractive quality).”
- “Make a milkshake (business/finance slang: to attract customers/deposits).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'MILK' being 'SHAKEN' up with ice cream. It's a shake made from milk.
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTRACTION IS A DELICIOUS DRINK (e.g., 'Our marketing campaign is a milkshake that brings in clients.').
Practice
Quiz
What is a key difference between a typical UK and US milkshake?