shake down

British  

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

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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

shake down Idioms  

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

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

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

4. 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]

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Example Sentences

The precedent also encourages plaintiff attorneys to shake down companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

So how will the "usual suspects", the "softies", the "newbies" and the "toadies" shake down?

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2025

Fewer than half of workers now trust their organization to give them a fair shake, down to 46% from 54% last year, according to a separate survey from the Society for Human Resource Management.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 26, 2023

“Keith defined the industry he covered,” wrote Mr. Murdoch, whom Mr. Kelly in fact was known to buttonhole boldly in elevators and shake down for information like anyone else.

From New York Times • Jul. 31, 2021

She made the empty rooms roar with accusation and shake down a fine dust of guilt that was sucked in their nostrils as they plunged about.

From "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

Related Words

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