1
general::
Phrase(s): shake something out
1. Lit. to clean something of dirt or crumbs by shaking. • Please shake the tablecloth out. • Can you shake out your coat? It’s really dusty. 2. and shake something down Fig. to test something to find out how it works or what the problems are. • I need to spend some time driving my new car to shake it out. • We need to shake down this car before I buy it.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs