No great shakes. Of no great value; little worth. Common in England and the United States.
I had my hands full, and my head too, just then [when he wrote to Marino Faliero], so it can be no great shakes.--Lord Byron to Murray.
Yit, if they their inquirations make,
In winter time some will
Condemn that place as no great shakes
Where folks ha' the cold chill.--Noakes and Styles, Essex Dialect.
Cousin Pete allowed he knowed he wasn't no great shakes all the time, and was makin' more noise than anybody else.--Maj. Jones's Courtship.
I have forgot what little Latin I learnt to night-school; and, in fact, I never was any great shakes at it.--Sam Slick, 3d Ser. ch. VII.
THE SHAKES
The fever and ague.