shenanigan
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ʃɪˈnænɪɡ(ə)n/
ipa: /ʃəˈnænəɡən/
Forms: form: shenanigans
form: shenaniganing
form: shenaniganning
form: shenaniganed
form: shenaniganed
form: shenaniganned
form: shenaniganned
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.
Senses: examples: text: The habit of "shenaniganing" has become so disgracefully common at Union college that some of the right minded students have passed resolutions condemning the practice in unqualified terms. We are happy to inform the friends of Michigan University that this unmusical word, which, translated means the use of artificial aids, in examinations, is almost wholly unknown here.
ref: 1872 October 19, “Notes on the College Press and so forth”, in The Chronicle, volume IV, number II, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Students of the University of Michigan, →OCLC, page 24, column 2:
text: I must have looked sceptical regarding the squirrel, as I informed him that I had not much appetite just then; but he assured me he was not "shenan-neganning" me, and that the dish would prove a delicacy.
ref: 1894, Mary J. Jaques, “Sheep Dipping, Breaking in Bronchos, Visit to Texan Squatter”, in Texan Ranch Life; with Three Months through Mexico in a “Prairie Schooner”, London: Horace Cox, […], →OCLC, pages 114–115:
text: Gosh, I never was so shenaniganned in all my life.
ref: 1932, John Beames, chapter V, in Gateway, London: Ernest Benn […], →OCLC, page 89:
text: Then Jim, the man that was in charge of the booths, […] says, "It's too large. It has to be a regular size." I said, "Look, it can't go back, and we have the place reserved. I've already paid for it." I don't know, he shenaniganed something.
ref: 2001, Amalia Sena Sánchez, quotee, “Fiesta”, in John Pen[daries] La Farge, editor, Turn Left at the Sleeping Dog: Scripting the Santa Fe Legend, 1920–1955, Albuquerque, N.M.: University of New Mexico Press, →ISBN, page 56:
glosses: To play a deceitful confidence trick on (someone); to swindle, to trick; also, to carry out an act of mischief on (someone); to prank.
examples: text: Then after much shenaniganing around over a period of several weeks […] we came into the committee room after this "night study" which I understand too place, and some of the Members had the bill we are now considering in a mimeographed form and some of us did not have it.
ref: 1964 February 6, Basil Whitener, “Civil Rights Act of 1963”, in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 88th Congress, Second Session (United States House of Representatives), volume 110, part 2, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2260, column 3:
text: Was it merely a ruse to ensure that the people during that period of 12 months got used to the idea that the workshop would close, and gradually reconciled themselves to it? It does not look as if they have, but I suggest that that is one reason the Government shenaniganed around with the people of Wanganui.
ref: 1986 July 9, R. F. H. Maxwell, “Debate—General”, in Parliamentary Debates (Hansard): Second Session, Forty-first Parliament (New Zealand House of Representatives), volume 472, Wellington: V. R. Ward, government printer, →OCLC, page 2800:
text: I'm just shenaniganning with you. Keep your hair in your face and your mouth shut and it will be fine.
ref: 2021, Michel Guyon, “From London to Gristlemoth”, in Archibald Finch and the Lost Witches, Kansas City, Mo.: Andrews McMeel Publishing, →ISBN:
glosses: To play a deceitful confidence trick; also, to carry out an act of mischief.
Derived terms: word: shenaniganing
word: shenaniganning