Word Study
shanghai
CIDE DICTIONARY
shanghai, v. t.
To intoxicate and ship (a person) as a sailor while in this condition. [1913 Webster]
shanghai, n.
A large and tall breed of domestic fowl. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
shanghai, v. & n.
--v.tr. (shanghais, shanghaied, shanghaiing)
1 force (a person) to be a sailor on a ship by using drugs or other trickery.
2 colloq. put into detention or an awkward situation by trickery.
3 Austral. & NZ shoot with a catapult.
--n. (pl. shanghais) Austral. & NZ a catapult.
--v.tr. (shanghais, shanghaied, shanghaiing)
1 force (a person) to be a sailor on a ship by using drugs or other trickery.
2 colloq. put into detention or an awkward situation by trickery.
3 Austral. & NZ shoot with a catapult.
--n. (pl. shanghais) Austral. & NZ a catapult.
Etymology
Shanghai in China
THESAURUS
shanghai
abduce, abduct, blackjack, bludgeon, bulldoze, bully, carry away, carry off, coerce, crimp, dragoon, hijack, hold for ransom, impress, intimidate, kidnap, run away with, skyjack, snatch, spirit away, steamroller, strong-arm, throttle, use violenceROGET THESAURUS
shanghai
Deception
VB deceive, take in, defraud, cheat, jockey, do, cozen, diddle, nab, chouse, play one false, bilk, cully, jilt, bite, pluck, swindle, victimize, abuse, mystify, blind one's eyes, blindfold, hoodwink, throw dust into the eyes, dupe, gull, hoax, fool, befool, bamboozle, flimflam, hornswoggle, trick, impose upon, practice upon, play upon, put upon, palm off on, palm upon, foist upon, snatch a verdict, bluff off, bluff, bunko, four flush, gum, spoof, stuff (a ballot box), circumvent, overreach, outreach, out wit, out maneuver, steal a march upon, give the go-by, to leave in the lurch decoy, waylay, lure, beguile, delude, inveigle, entrap, intrap, ensnare, nick, springe, set a trap, lay a trap, lay a snare for, bait the hook, forelay, spread the toils, lime, trapan, trepan, kidnap, let in, hook in, nousle, nousel, blind a trail, enmesh, immesh, shanghai, catch, catch in a trap, sniggle, entangle, illaqueate, hocus, escamoter, practice on one's credulity, hum, humbug, gammon, stuff up, sell, play a trick upon one, play a practical joke upon one, put something over on one, put one over on, balk, trip up, throw a tub to a whale, fool to the top of one's bent, send on a fool's errand, make game, make a fool of, make an April fool of, make an ass of, trifle with, cajole, flatter, come over, gild the pill, make things pleasant, divert, put a good face upon, dissemble, cog, cog the dice, load the dice, stack the deck, live by one's wits, play at hide and seek, obtain money under false pretenses, conjure, juggle, practice chicanery, deacon, play off, palm off, foist off, fob-off, lie, misinform, mislead, betray, be deceived.For further exploring for "shanghai" in Webster Dictionary Online