Shakedown

Shakedown is a term with multiple related meanings in English, used as both a noun and a verb. In engineering, transportation, and project contexts, a shakedown or shakedown run refers to an initial testing phase of new equipment, vehicles, or systems to locate faults and verify performance before regular operation. A ship, aircraft, or other complex machine may undergo a shakedown cruise after construction or major repair to ensure all components function under real-world conditions.

In slang and informal usage, shakedown can denote coercive pressure to obtain money or valuables, typically through intimidation or threats. This sense is often associated with extortion or corrupt practices, and it carries a strongly negative connotation. The term can describe actions by criminals, and in some contexts by authorities or security personnel, who are alleged to extract payments or favors through pressure.

In prison and law enforcement vernacular, a shakedown refers to a thorough search of cells or facilities for contraband, sometimes described as an inspection or raid. Such searches may be routine or ordered in response to concerns about contraband, and they are commonly referred to as shakedowns by inmates and staff alike.

Origin and usage: the expression derives from the notion of "shaking down" someone to extract payment or information, dating to the 19th century. Over time, it broadened to include the testing sense used in technical fields as well as various coercive and investigative meanings.

See also: shakedown cruise, extortion, corruption, prison search.