Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shake down

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.32 in modern English

Syllables: shake -down
IPA

20

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To cause something to fall down by shaking it, or something it is attached to.

Transitive verb

verb

To shake someone so money falls from their pockets.

Transitive verb

verb

To extort money from (someone) by means of threats.

Slang; Transitive verb

verb

To search exhaustively.

Slang; Transitive verb

verb

To subject something to a shakedown test.

Example Sentences

"shake down apples from an apple tree."
"He left after shaking her down for four bits for carrying the bags."
"At 58.9K, he'd be handing over practically nine thousand dollars a year to California and to the county for the privilege of being shaken down by these thicknecks."

Usage

Inflected Forms

shakes down (present, singular) shaking down (participle, present) shook down (past) shaken down (participle, past)

Questions

What does shake down mean?: To cause something to fall down by shaking it, or something it is attached to.

How to pronounce shake down

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “shake down”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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