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

Example Sentences

One might hypothesize the maid was part of a scam to shake down any rich old man in a luxury suite.

From The Daily Beast

But not everyone does: Courtship is a massively multiplayer game whose rules shake down differently for each player.

From The Daily Beast

And I am not sure even now that when these two things are found in one and the same woman they ever really shake down together.

From Project Gutenberg

The hair should be so securely put up that it will not shake down, and that the hair-pins will not work out.

From Project Gutenberg

The hermit said unto the deer, O deer, why didst thou shake down the seed?

From Project Gutenberg

I often climb into the trees in Charlotte's orchard, and shake down the pears that hang on the highest branches.

From Project Gutenberg

If we once thoroughly understood each other we'd shake down better and go our ways in peace.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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