shakedown
or shake-down
[ sheyk-doun ]
/ ˈʃeɪkˌdaʊn /
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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.
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Origin of shakedown
First recorded in 1490–1500; noun, adj. use of verb phrase shake down
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for shakedown
British Dictionary definitions for shakedown
shake down
verb (adverb)
noun shakedown
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 shakedown
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]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.