shamus

See also: Shamus

English

Etymology

Said to be from the Irish name Seamus, on account of many American police officers being of Irish descent.

Pronunciation
  • enPR: shä'məs, IPA(key): /ˈʃɑːməs/
  • enPR: shā'məs, IPA(key): /ˈʃeɪməs/
  • Rhymes: -eɪməs
  • Homophones: Seamus (of -ā-/-eɪ-/-eI- pronunciation)

Noun

shamus (plural shamuses)

  1. (US, slang) A private detective; originally, a policeman or police detective.
    • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter IV:
      “That's what you're here for. Didn't your aunt tell you? She wants you to follow Wilbert Cream and Phyllis about everywhere and see that he doesn't get a chance of proposing.”
      “You mean that I'm to be a sort of private eye or shamus, tailing them up? I don't like it,” I said dubiously.

Anagrams

Ido

Verb

shamus

  1. conditional of shamar
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