1914 July, W.M. Houghton, “The Longshoreman's Life is Short but Seldom Merry”, in Temperance: A Monthly Journal of the Church Temperance Society, volume 6, number 11, page 14:
But if he is absent at the shape-up – when the boss stevedore blows his whistle and the men line up in a semi-circle outside the pier to be picked – another man gets his place for the time being, and it may be that he will miss the ship entirely.
1957, Burrhus Frederic Skinner, Verbal Behavior:
At each shape-up there is a new employment.
2023, Charles P. Larrowe, Shape-Up and Hiring Hall, page 73:
The attainment of status in the community is another important objective of workers, and it is obvious that the shape-up prevented longshoremen from achieving this goal.
Activity to get someone or something back into shape.
1990, The New Complete Medical and Health Encyclopedia, page 1147:
Shower shape-ups have two advantages.
2017, Liz Earle, Liz Earle's 6-Week Shape Up Plan:
All the recipes for this 6-week shape-up are tasty and nutritious.
Hairstyle
2005, Spiro Milas, December 23, page 11:
I noticed my shape-ups weren't as nice as some of my friends from the city.
2019, David Lyons, The Boy Becomes a Man: Confessions of an Honest Politician:
Billy used to give us shape-ups to our hair. I went by his house one morning to get a shape-up, and he was shaking really bad.
