shamus
pronunciation
How to pronounce shamus in British English:
UK ['ʃeɪməs]
How to pronounce shamus in American English:
US [ 'ʃeməs]
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- Noun:
- someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information
Word Origin
- shamus (n.)
- "police officer, detective," 1920, apparently first in "The Shamus," a detective story published that year by Harry J. Loose (1880-1943), a Chicago police detective and crime writer; the book was marketed as "a true tale of thiefdom and an expose of the real system in crime." The word is said to be probably from Yiddish shames, literally "sexton of a synagogue" ("a potent personage only next in influence to the President" [Israel Zangwill]), from Hebrew shamash "servant;" influenced by Celtic Seamus "James," as a typical name for an Irish cop.
Example
- 1. Shamus cooke : the two roads out of recession .
- 2. Shamus cooke : prepping minds for war against china .
- 3. Would you pay $ 200 for that , shamus ?
- 4. No , I 'm a shamus . What 's that ?
- 5. How long has shamus been here ?