- Today's Word
Shenanigans
[shuh-NAN-i-guhns]
Definition
- (noun) Mischievous or playful behavior, often involving tricks or pranks. It can also describe secret or dishonest activity, typically of a playful or minor nature. The term is usually used in the plural form.
Example
The office manager warned the employees that their lunchtime shenanigans, which included elaborate practical jokes, were becoming too disruptive to the workplace.
Fun Fact
The origin of “shenanigans” is somewhat mysterious. It first appeared in print in the mid-19th century in California, possibly brought by Irish or Spanish-speaking settlers. Some linguists suggest it might be derived from the Spanish word “chanada,” meaning “trick” or “deceit,” or from the Irish word “sionnachuighim,” meaning “I play tricks.” Despite its unclear origins, “shenanigans” has become a popular and colorful way to describe mischievous behavior in English-speaking countries around the world.
(verb) To use vague or ambiguous language in order to avoid committing to a clear position or answer.
When asked directly whether he had approved the deal, the CEO equivocated for ten minutes without ever giving a straight answer.
Equivocate derives from the Medieval Latin aequivocare, meaning “to call by the same name,” built from aequus (“equal”) and vox (“voice” or “word”). The idea behind the root is of a word that sounds the same but carries two equally valid meanings — giving the speaker plausible deniability by exploiting ambiguity. It entered English in the 16th century, almost immediately acquiring its negative connotation of deliberate evasiveness.