shakedown

views updated May 21 2018

shake·down / ˈshākˌdoun/ • n. inf. 1. a radical change or restructuring, particularly in a hierarchical organization or group: after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a shakedown of the Russian press was inevitable. ∎  a thorough search of a person or place: harassment and shakedowns by persons in police uniforms. ∎  a swindle; a piece of extortion: he wants to eliminate bribery, shakedowns, and bid-rigging in New York City's construction industry. ∎  a test of a new product or model, esp. a vehicle or ship: the high-orbit shakedown of the lunar module had its merits | [as adj.] the software is expected to enter its final shakedown phase by the middle of September. 2. a makeshift bed.

More From encyclopedia.com