shake down

extorquer de l’argent à, racketter

Obliger quelqu’un à donner de l’argent en le menaçant.

En anglais simple : To force someone to give you money by threatening them.

• The gang shook down local shopkeepers.
• A corrupt officer shook him down for cash.
• They were shaking down businesses for monthly payments.

Comment l'utiliser : shake someone down for something (The gang shook shopkeepers down for money.)

Synonymes : extort money from, blackmail

Expressions courantes : shake down someone, shake someone down, shake down businesses

faire tomber en secouant, gauler

Faire tomber quelque chose en le secouant ou en secouant ce qui le soutient.

En anglais simple : To make something fall by moving it, or what holds it, quickly back and forth.

• We shook down some apples.
• He shook the ripe fruit down from the branches.
• Can you shake down the last few nuts?

Comment l'utiliser : shake something down from something (They shook the nuts down from the tree.)

Synonymes : shake loose, dislodge

Expressions courantes : shake down apples, shake down something, shake the fruit down

fouiller minutieusement, fouiller

Fouiller très soigneusement une personne ou un lieu pour trouver des choses cachées ou illégales.

En anglais simple : To search a person or place very carefully, looking for hidden or illegal things.

• The guards shook down every cell.
• Police shook the room down for drugs.
• They shook down the prisoners before letting them into the yard.

Comment l'utiliser : shake someone/something down for something (Guards shook the cells down for hidden weapons.)

Synonymes : search thoroughly, search

Expressions courantes : shake down cells, shake down someone, shake the room down

secouer pour faire tomber l’argent

Secouer une personne pour faire tomber l’argent de ses poches.

En anglais simple : To shake a person so that money falls out of their pockets.

• The bully shook him down for loose coins.
• They held the man upside down and shook him down.
• His coins fell out as the attackers shook him down.

Comment l'utiliser : shake someone down (The bully shook the boy down until coins fell from his pockets.)

Expressions courantes : shake down someone, shake someone down

tester, mettre à l’essai

Tester du matériel neuf dans des conditions réelles de fonctionnement pour trouver les problèmes avant son utilisation régulière.

En anglais simple : To test new equipment under working conditions to find problems before regular use.

• We need to shake down the equipment.
• Engineers shook the system down during a full day of testing.
• Has the crew shaken the new ship down yet?

Comment l'utiliser : shake something down (The crew shook the new ship down before its first voyage.)

Synonymes : test, try out

Expressions courantes : shake down equipment, shake down something