shenanigan
Use Shenanigan in a sentence
ɪ noun Informal.
1.
Usually, shenanigans.
a.
mischief; prankishness: Halloween shenanigans.
b.
deceit; trickery.
2.
a mischievous or deceitful trick, practice, etc.
Origin:
1850–55, Americanism; of obscure origin
1850–55, Americanism; of obscure origin
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To shenanigan
Collins
World English Dictionary
shenanigan (ʃɪˈnænɪɡən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | (usually plural) roguishness; mischief |
| 2. | an act of treachery; deception |
| [C19: of unknown origin] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Shenanigan
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
shenanigan
1855, of uncertain origin. Earliest records of it are in San Francisco and Sacramento, California, U.S. Suggestions include Sp. chanada, a shortened form of charranada "trick, deceit;" or, less likely, Ger. Schenigelei, peddler's argot for "work, craft," or the related Ger. slang verb schinäglen.
Another guess centers on Ir. sionnach "fox."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Some of then wouldn't pen, so we'd work a shenanigan on them.
In fact, this shenanigan was already well known in some circles.
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