shake down

verb

1. to fall or settle or cause to fall or settle by shaking

2. slang,  (tr) to extort money from, esp by blackmail or threats of violence

3. slang,  (tr) to search thoroughly

4. informal,  (tr) to submit (a vessel, etc) to a shakedown test

5. (intr) to go to bed, esp to a makeshift bed

6. (intr) (of a person, animal, etc) to settle down

noun

1. slang,  a swindle or act of extortion

2. slang,  a thorough search

3. a makeshift bed, esp of straw, blankets, etc

4. informal

   1. a voyage to test the performance of a ship or aircraft or to familiarize the crew with their duties

   2. ( as modifier )

      a shakedown run

Idioms and Phrases

Extort money from, as in They had quite a racket, shaking down merchants for so-called protection . [ Slang ; second half of 1800s]

Make a thorough search of, as in They shook down all the passengers, looking for drugs . [ Slang early 1900s]

Subject a new vehicle or machine to a tryout, as in We'll shake down the new model next week .

Become acclimated or accustomed, to a new place, job, or the like, as in Is this your first job? You'll soon shake down . [Mid-1800s]

Related Words

• check 
• comb 
• examine 
• explore 
• go through 
• hunt 
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• inspect 
• investigate 
• look 
• probe 
• ransack 
• scan 
• scour 
• scout 
• scrutinize 
• seek 
• sift