Dictionary
shake down
verb
Definition of SHAKE DOWN
intransitive verb1
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>
ADVERTISEMENT
First Known Use of SHAKE DOWN
circa 1859
Related to SHAKE DOWN
- Synonyms
- beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, flimflam, gaff, gyp, hose [slang], hustle, mulct, nobble [British slang], pluck, ream, rip off, rook, screw, fleece, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, victimize
Rhymes with SHAKE DOWN
back down, Baytown, bear down, blowdown, boil down, boomtown, breakdown, break down, Bridgetown, bringdown, bring down, call down, Cape Town, cast down, Charlestown, clampdown, clamp down, climb down, closedown, comedown, come down, cooldown, countdown, count down, count noun, cow town, crackdown, crack down, crosstown, cry down, cut down, downtown, drawdown, draw down, dress down, drop-down, dumb down, embrown, facedown, fall down, first down, Freetown, Georgetown, George Town, get down, ghost town, godown, go down, half crown, hand down, hands-down, hoedown, hold down, hometown, hull down, Jamestown, keep down, knockdown, knock down, lay down, letdown, let down, lie down, live down, lockdown, look down, lowdown, markdown, mark down, mass noun, meltdown, melt down, midtown, new town, nightgown, North Down, nut-brown, pastedown, pat down, pay down, phase down, pipe down, play down, plunk down, pronoun, pull-down, pull down, pushdown, put-down, renown, rubdown, rundown, scale-down, set down, shakedown, shire town, shoot down, showdown, shutdown, shut down, sit-down, slap down, slowdown, Southdown, splashdown, splash down, stand-down, stare down, step-down, stop down, strike down, stripped-down, sundown, swansdown, take down, talk down, tank town, tea gown, tear down, throw down, thumbs-down, tie-down, top-down, touchdown, touch down, trade down, turndown, turn down, uncrown, uptown, Von Braun, wash down, wear down, weigh down, wet down, wind down, write-down, write down, Youngstown
Learn More About SHAKE DOWN
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: shake flaskPrevious Word in the Dictionary: shakedownAll Words Near: shake down
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up shake down? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).