shake tree

shake (one's) tree

To provoke or compel one into taking some sort of action or reform. I believe people are electing radical candidates like her because they want to shake the government's tree. The employees' strike certainly shook our tree a bit, so we've begun
See also: shake, tree
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

shake (someone's) tree

Slang
To arouse to action or reaction; disturb: "[He] so shook Hollywood's tree that ... all manner of ... people called me unsolicited to itemize his mistakes or praise his courage" (Tina Brown).
See also: shake, tree
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • shake (one's) tree
  • shake someone's tree
  • compel
  • compel (someone) to (do something)
  • compel to do
  • lead (one) to (do something)
  • lead one to
  • lead to
  • lead to do
  • urge on
References in periodicals archive
In one of the more unusual requests, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Ali Najafi asked children home from school to go outside and shake tree limbs so they wouldn't break under the weight of the snow.
Tehran gets hit with zinger of snowstorm
Questions like this make me want to shake Tree out of his funk.
First, plant your feet
A controlled explosion followed, which was reportedly strong enough to shake trees several blocks away.
Gunman Killed By Federal Officers Following Shootout In Dallas
He added: "You're one of the lead dogs raising money in the party and you have to have street cred in the finance world so you can shake trees."
Wynn resigns as RNC finance chairman amid sexual misconduct allegations
Intensity V means almost everybody feels the shaking indoors and outdoors and the earthquake is strong enough to wake up sleeping people, make doors swing, push dishes off the shelves and pictures off the walls and shake trees.
No casualty, damage in magnitude 5.9 quake in Zambales, parts of Luzon
Gently shake trees to make sure the needles aren't falling off.
Perfect pines and fab firs..
Severn Trent Water ranger Natalie Needham said: "We have got nets and things so we can shake trees and see what falls in the nets and then find out about the mini-beasts.
Mini-beast hunt gets under way
(Growers shake trees so nuts fall onto a catching frame or canvas sheet.) Remove hulls, then dry in the sun or air until crisp to the bite.
Adventures with the faraway nuts