shakedown
or shake-down
[ sheyk-doun ]
/ ˈʃeɪkˌdaʊn /
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.
Origin of shakedown
First recorded in 1490–1500; noun, adj. use of verb phrase
shake down
Words nearby shakedown
Definition for shake down (2 of 2)
Origin of shake
before 900; (v.) Middle English
s(c)haken, Old English
sceacan; cognate with Low German
schacken, Old Norse
skaka; (noun) derivative of the v.
SYNONYMS FOR shake
1
oscillate,
waver.
Shake,
quiver,
tremble,
vibrate refer to an agitated movement that, in living things, is often involuntary. To
shake is to agitate more or less quickly, abruptly, and often unevenly so as to disturb the poise, stability, or equilibrium of a person or thing:
a pole shaking under his weight.
To quiver is to exhibit a slight vibratory motion such as that resulting from disturbed or irregular (surface) tension:
The surface of the pool quivered in the breeze.
To tremble (used more often of a person) is to be agitated by intermittent, involuntary movements of the muscles, much like shivering and caused by fear, cold, weakness, great emotion, etc.:
Even stout hearts tremble with dismay.
To vibrate is to exhibit a rapid, rhythmical motion:
A violin string vibrates when a bow is drawn across it.
2 shudder, shiver.
14 daunt.
OTHER WORDS FROM shake
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH shake
shake sheik (see synonym study at the current entry)British Dictionary definitions for shake down (1 of 2)
shake down
verb (adverb)
noun shakedown
British Dictionary definitions for shake down (2 of 2)
shake
/ (ʃeɪk) /
verb shakes, shaking, shook or shaken (ˈʃeɪkən)
noun
Derived forms of shake
shakable or shakeable, adjectiveWord Origin for shake
Old English
sceacan; related to Old Norse
skaka to shake, Old High German
untscachōn to be driven
Idioms and Phrases with shake down (1 of 2)
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]
Idioms and Phrases with shake down (2 of 2)
shake