shake the plum tree

verb

To obtain a source of advantage, such as for political favors or appointments.

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Meanings

verbshake the plum tree (third-person singular simple present shakes the plum tree, present participle shaking the plum tree, simple past shook the plum tree, past participle shaken the plum tree)

present singular third person shakes the plum tree · participle present shaking the plum tree · past shook the plum tree · participle past shaken the plum tree

  1. idiomaticuncommonTo obtain a source of advantage, such as for political favors or appointments.
Cite this entry
APA

shake the plum tree. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shake%20the%20plum%20tree

MLA

“shake the plum tree.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shake%20the%20plum%20tree. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shake the plum tree,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shake%20the%20plum%20tree.

Source: shake the plum tree on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.