shamus

See also: Shamus

English

Etymology

Said to be from the Irish name Séamus, 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: Séamus (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

• samshu

Ido

Verb

shamus

1. conditional of shamar