shenanigan

Definition

singular of shenanigans: a deceitful confidence trick; also, an act of mischief; a prank, a trick; an act of mischievous play, especially by children.

Etymology

The origin of the noun is uncertain. As the earliest attestations are from California, U.S.A., in the 1850s towards the end of the California gold rush (see the quotations), it is possible that the word derives from one of the following: * Irish sionnachuighim (“to play tricks”, literally “to play the fox”); Irishmen were among the people participating in the gold rush. (See also the 31 December 1854 quotation suggesting it is an “Irish word”.) * Spanish chanada, a shortening of charranada (“deceit, trick”); California was colonized by the Spanish Empire in the 18th century, and many people from Latin America also took part in the gold rush. Other suggestions are set out in the table below. possible etymologies * From the East Anglian dialectal word nannicking (“playing the fool”). * From French ces manigances (“these fraudulent schemes”). * From German Scheinheilige (“sham holy men; sham holy actions”), scheinheilig (“hypocritical”) (18th c.) * From Rhine Franconian schinägeln (“to work hard”), from the peddler’s argot term Schenigelei (“work”). The verb is derived from the noun.

Example Sentences

• "I spotted his next shenanigan—saw it coming—and so avoided being fooled."
• "He then would state some of the principles of the party; First of all he would have them know it was on the square! and why was it on the square? Why? Because it didn't intend to "come the shenanigan"—that was it!"
• "Abstrusus–In your answers to correspondence last week is given a definition to which I must except: An Irish word which you write ‘shenanigan’ is defined as being synonymous with our English word ‘humbug,’ thus depriving the natives of ‘the Breast-pin of the Ocean’ of the credit of great shrewdness in the use of the word."