Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
Someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law and politics.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: pettifogger
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To act in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law and politics.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To exploit (someone or something) in this way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a person (especially a lawyer or politician) who uses unscrupulous or unethical methods
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: pettifogger
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wrongdoer, offender
History
US origin, 19th century. The etymology of the word is not generally agreed upon. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as "of obscure origin," possibly deriving from a historical sense of shy meaning "disreputable", equivalent to shy + -ster. Other sources suggest the word derives from shicer, from the German Scheißer (“incompetent worthless person”), from scheißen (“to defecate”), probably influenced by -ster. Not related to shylock.
Across languages
14 source translations are retained for this English entry.
