shenanigan

she·nan·i·gan

 (shə-năn′ĭ-gən)

n. Informal

1. A playful or mischievous act; a prank: We're tired of your shenanigans!

2. An underhanded act or deceitful remark: Financial shenanigans brought down the brokerage.

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[Origin unknown.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

shenanigan

(ʃɪˈnænɪɡən)

n

1. (usually plural) roguishness; mischief

2. an act of treachery; deception

[C19: of unknown origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

she•nan•i•gan

(ʃəˈnæn ɪ gən)

n. Informal.

1. Usu., shenanigans.

a. mischief; prankishness.

b. deceit; trickery.

2. a mischievous or deceitful trick.

[1850–55, Amer.; of obscure orig.]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	shenanigan - reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others mischief, mischief-making, devilment, roguery, roguishness, devilry, deviltry, mischievousness, rascality misbehavior, misbehaviour, misdeed - improper or wicked or immoral behavior blaze, hell - noisy and unrestrained mischief; "raising blazes" monkey business - mischievous or deceitful behavior hooliganism, malicious mischief, vandalism - willful wanton and malicious destruction of the property of others
	2.	shenanigan - the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them) chicanery, wile, trickery, chicane, guile dissimulation, deception, dissembling, deceit - the act of deceiving dupery, hoax, put-on, humbug, fraud, fraudulence - something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended to gain an advantage jugglery - artful trickery designed to achieve an end; "the senator's tax program was mere jugglery"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

shenanigan

noun

1. Informal. An indirect, usually cunning means of gaining an end:

artifice, deception, device, dodge, feint, gimmick, imposture, jig, maneuver, ploy, ruse, sleight, stratagem, subterfuge, trick, wile.

Informal: take-in.

2. Informal. A mischievous act:

antic, caper, frolic, joke, lark, prank, trick.

Slang: monkeyshine (often used in plural).

3. Informal. Annoying yet harmless, usually playful acts.Often used in plural:

devilry, deviltry, diablerie, high jinks, impishness, mischief, mischievousness, prankishness, rascality, roguery, roguishness, tomfoolery.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.