Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an unnerving experience.

1880		‘Mark Twain’ Tramp Abroad 438: My nerves had hardly grown quiet after this affair when they got another shake-up, one which utterly unmanned me for a moment.
1921–2		(?) H. Lawson ‘The Last Rose of Winter’ in Roderick (1972) 906: I got another shake-up at Hay, stopping a runaway horse.
1947		D. Davin For the Rest of Our Lives 19: I think the arty, gave them a bit of a shake-up.

2. the process of ‘cleaning up’ a city/establishment.

1902		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden and Mr Paul 40: He had one of de grandest shake-ups dere ever was.
1903		N.Y. Times 12 Feb. 2: The ‘iron ball,’ which in police parlance means a shake-up, rolled yesterday in the Tenderloin.
1914		S.H. Adams Clarion 100: I think I’ll jack up our boys in the city room by hinting that there may be a shake-up coming under the new owner [DA].
1929		C. Coe Hooch! 12: In spite of the gamblin’ shake-up two years ago, there’s still enough houses spread around.
1952		W.R. Burnett Little Men, Big World 217: The boys are running for cover as the inevitable shake-up has already started.

3. (US black) a form of cocktail, made from a variety of liquors, plus wine.

1920		Ade Hand-made Fables 188: The Counselor suggested a little Shake-Up with a Foundation of Gin.
1940		‘Jargon of Marihuana Addicts’ in AS XV:3 Oct. 337/1: shake-up. A whiskey made of straight alcohol and coloring.

4. (US black) cheap corn whisky.

1946

Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 219: I wrastled some shake-up last night with some unbooted wren, blowin’ salt and pepper till my hair hurts.