shakedown
or shake-down
[ sheyk-doun ]
/ ˈʃeɪkˌdaʊn /
noun
extortion, as by blackmail or threats of violence.
a thorough search: a shakedown of prison cells to uncover hidden drugs.
a bed, as of straw or blankets, spread on the floor.
any makeshift bed.
the act or process of shaking down.
Also called shakedown cruise, shakedown flight. a cruise or flight intended to prepare a new vessel or aircraft for regular service by accustoming the crew to its features and peculiarities, breaking in and adjusting machinery, etc.
Words nearby shakedown
Origin of shakedown
First recorded in 1490–1500; noun, adj. use of verb phrase shake down
Definition for shake down (2 of 2)
Origin of shake
before 900; (v.) Middle English s(c)haken, Old English sceacan; cognate with Low German schacken, Old Norse skaka; (noun) derivative of the v.
SYNONYMS FOR shake
1 oscillate, waver. Shake, quiver, tremble, vibrate refer to an agitated movement that, in living things, is often involuntary. To shake is to agitate more or less quickly, abruptly, and often unevenly so as to disturb the poise, stability, or equilibrium of a person or thing: a pole shaking under his weight. To quiver is to exhibit a slight vibratory motion such as that resulting from disturbed or irregular (surface) tension: The surface of the pool quivered in the breeze. To tremble (used more often of a person) is to be agitated by intermittent, involuntary movements of the muscles, much like shivering and caused by fear, cold, weakness, great emotion, etc.: Even stout hearts tremble with dismay. To vibrate is to exhibit a rapid, rhythmical motion: A violin string vibrates when a bow is drawn across it.
2 shudder, shiver.
14 daunt.
OTHER WORDS FROM shake
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH shake
shake sheik (see synonym study at the current entry)Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for shake down (1 of 2)
shake down
verb (adverb)
noun shakedown
British Dictionary definitions for shake down (2 of 2)
shake
/ (ʃeɪk) /
verb shakes, shaking, shook or shaken (ˈʃeɪkən)
noun
Derived forms of shake
shakable or shakeable, adjectiveWord Origin for shake
Old English sceacan; related to Old Norse skaka to shake, Old High German untscachōn to be driven
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Idioms and Phrases with shake down (1 of 2)
shake down
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]
Idioms and Phrases with shake down (2 of 2)
shake
In addition to the idioms beginning with shake
- shake a leg
- shake a stick at
- shake down
- shake hands
- shake in one's boots
- shake off
- shake one's head
- shake someone's tree
- shake the dust from one's feet
- shake up
- shake with laughter
also see:
- all shook (shaken) up
- fair shake
- in two shakes
- more than one can shake a stick at
- movers and shakers
- no great shakes
- quake (shake) in one's boots
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.