shakedown

Or shake-down

[sheyk-doun]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shakedown¹

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

Example Sentences

The producer’s legal team quickly denied the allegations last October and dismissed the complaint as a “pure shakedown.”

From Los Angeles Times

He called the lawsuit “a shakedown for money.”

From Los Angeles Times

He wondered, “How can we mount a voice of protest to this proposed shakedown of the university in the name of protecting Jews?”

From Los Angeles Times

And when a San Fernando Valley anti-gang squad was accused in 2023 of covering up shakedowns of motorists, in swooped the Reaper again.

From Los Angeles Times

“This is so transparently an abuse of power — a shakedown,” Stern said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blackmail