verb
Etymology: shake (I) + down, adverb
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to take up temporary quarters
a good plan for me to shake down in New York alone … before you join me — Margaret A. Barnes
b. : to occupy an improvised or hastily prepared bed
had to be content to shake down with blankets in the inn parlor — B.L.K.Henderson
2.
a. : to become accustomed or conditioned especially to new surroundings or new duties
four months … was long enough for a new man to shake down — Edwards Park
b. : to undergo a period of adjustment : settle down
until the whole entertainment business shakes down and new patterns have been established — Publishers' Weekly
3. : to become reduced
the fighting shook down to a straight infantry battle — Newsweek
transitive verb
1. : to obtain money from in a dishonest or illegal manner (as under pretense of official authority or under promise of protection)
impostors … shook down soldiers by pretending to arrest them — Dixon Wecter
2. : to make a thorough search of
decided to shake down the inmates to make sure nothing had been smuggled into the jail — Police Detective
3. : to bring about a reduction of
ordered … to shake down the hundreds of duplicating and overlapping service boards — Time
4. : to test on a shakedown cruise
the work … included training men and shaking down the ships for the Pacific theater — Walter Karig