I. ˈshil adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sciell, scyl; akin to Old English sciellan, scyllan to resound, sound loudly, Dutch schel shrill, strident, Old High German scellan to resound, sound, ring, Old Norse skjallr loud, shrill skjalla to clash, clatter, Lithuanian skalyti to bark for a long period of time, and perhaps to Old English hlōwan to low (like a cow) — more at low
archaic chiefly Scotland : shrill , sonorous
II.
variant of sheal
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably short for shillaber
: one who acts as a decoy or steerer: as
a. : one who is employed by an amusement enterprise (as a circus or carnival) to get the sale of tickets started after the barker has finished his spiel
b. : one who is employed by a pitchman to pose as a member of the audience and make the first purchase
c. : one who is employed by a gambling house to pose as a customer and keep action going
d. : one who poses as an innocent bystander to help a confidence man win over a prospective victim
IV. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to act as a shill
V. noun
1. : one who makes a sales pitch or serves as a promoter
a shill for the food industry — F.J.Prial
2. : pitch 9b
VI. intransitive verb
: to act as a spokesperson or promoter