a coined
phrase meaning something extraordinary; a significant achievement. No small means considerable or great, and shake means to
cast dice (usually after a preliminary shake in one's hands). No small shakes is probably a variation of no great shakes, which means of no
importance or consequence; nothing
special, and alludes to the
shaking of dice with a mediocre result.
of outstanding
ability,
importance, etc.; not ordinary.
(slang) outstanding; effective. The
term is
thought to have come from the
shaking and
rolling of dice.