shake out

See also: shakeout

English

shake out (third-person singular simple present shakes out, present participle shaking out, simple past shook out, past participle shaken out)

(transitive) To agitate a piece of cloth or other flexible material in order to remove dust, or to try to make it smooth and flat.
(nautical, transitive) To unfurl a reef from a sail
- 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
  "Thunder!" he cried. "A week! I can't do that; they'd have the black spot on me by then. The lubbers is going about to get the wind of me this blessed moment; lubbers as couldn't keep what they got, and want to nail what is another's. Is that seamanly behavior, now, I want to know? But I'm a saving soul. I never wasted good money of mine, nor lost it neither; and I'll trick 'em again. I'm not afraid on 'em. I'll shake out another reef, matey, and daddle 'em again."

to flap a piece of flexible material to remove dirt

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