shakedown

American  

[sheyk-doun] / ˈʃeɪkˌdaʊn /

Or shake-down

noun

1. extortion, as by blackmail or threats of violence.

2. a thorough search.

   a shakedown of prison cells to uncover hidden drugs.

3. a bed, as of straw or blankets, spread on the floor.

4. any makeshift bed.

5. the act or process of shaking down.

6. Also called shakedown flight.  Also called shakedown cruise,.  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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Etymology

Origin of shakedown

First recorded in 1490–1500; noun, adj. use of verb phrase shake down

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shakedown

Every lease I’ve ever signed felt like a shakedown.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

The firm was flayed in 2018 by federal Judge Royce C. Lamberth of Washington, D.C., for engaging in what he labeled a “high-tech shakedown ... smacking of extortion.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

The campus owner denied the charge, blaming feral cats, and called it a shakedown attempt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

Aston Martin also missed almost two full days of last month's Barcelona shakedown.

From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026

While the Mark I was still undergoing this shakedown procedure, Lawrence spent his time soothing official doubts about the MTA by citing the continuing threat of a shortage of fissile material.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• blackmail