Shakedown

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Shakedown \Shake"down`\, n.
     A temporary substitute for a bed, as one made on the floor or
     on chairs; -- perhaps originally from the shaking down of
     straw for this purpose. --Sir W. Scott.
     [1913 Webster]
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  shakedown
       adj : intended to test a new system under operating conditions and
             to familiarize the operators with the system; "a
             shakedown cruise"
       n 1: initial adjustments to improve the functioning or the
            efficiency and to bring to a more satisfactory state;
            "the new industry's economic shakedown"
       2: a very thorough search of a person or a place; "a shakedown
          by the police uncovered the drugs"
       3: extortion of money (as by blackmail)

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  23 Moby Thesaurus words for "shakedown":
     Gedankenexperiment, audition, badger game, bench test, blackmail,
     bloodsucking, dry run, extortion, flight test, hearing, pilot plan,
     practical test, practice, protection racket, rehearsal, road test,
     shakedown cruise, test flight, test run, trial run, tryout,
     vampirism, workout