shakedown

1 of 2

noun

shake·​down ˈshāk-ˌdau̇n 

1

: an improvised bed (such as one made up on the floor)

2

: a boisterous dance

3

: an act or instance of shaking someone down

especially : extortion

4

: a thorough search

5

: a process or period of adjustment

6

: a testing under operating conditions of something new (such as a ship) for possible faults and defects and for familiarizing the operators with it

shake down

2 of 2

verb

shook down; shaken down; shaking down; shakes down

intransitive verb

1

a

: to take up temporary quarters

b

: to occupy an improvised or makeshift bed

2

a

: to become accustomed especially to new surroundings or duties

b

: to settle down

transitive verb

1

: to obtain money from in a deceitful, contemptible, or illegal manner

racketeers shaking down store owners for protection

2

: to make a thorough search of

3

: to bring about a reduction of

4

: to give a shakedown test to

shook down the vessel before its maiden voyage

Synonyms

Verb

• beat
• bilk
• bleed
• cheat
• chisel
• chouse
• con
• cozen
• defraud
• diddle
• do
• do in
• euchre
• fiddle
• fleece
• flimflam
• gaff
• hose [slang]
• hustle
• mulct
• nobble [British slang]
• pluck
• ream
• rip off
• rook
• screw
• short
• shortchange
• skin
• skunk
• squeeze
• stick
• stiff
• sting
• sucker
• swindle
• thimblerig
• victimize

Examples of shakedown in a Sentence

Noun

He was the victim of a shakedown by a street gang.

The guards conducted a shakedown of the prisoners' cells to look for weapons.

They're putting the system through a shakedown.

Verb

the rumor is that he started his career shaking people down as an enforcer for the mob

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Witnesses and victims of shakedowns were reluctant to come forward against a powerful public official who had the authority to award and deny lucrative public works contracts. —Barbara McQuade, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024

Since its release, the anthem has gone from a scathing shakedown to a hip-hop rallying cry, earning Lamar his first-ever No. 1 solo single on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Hot Rap Songs tally for 14 weeks. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Oct. 2024

Verb

But shaking down or even crippling an ExxonMobil, DuPont, or Cargill will not change consumer behavior. —Ed Hirs, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024

As The Apprentice opens, Donald is in his late 20s, shaking down his dad’s tenants for rent, trying to scheme his way into exclusive Manhattan members-only clubs. —Constance Grady, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1859, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

shakedown

noun

shake·​down ˈshāk-ˌdau̇n 

: a testing under operating conditions of something new (as a ship) for possible faults or for the operators to become more familiar with it

a shakedown cruise