shə̇ˈnanə̇gən, -anēg- noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
1.
a. : an often devious trick used especially to divert attention for an underhand purpose : deception , stratagem , fast one
a scamp who had pinched pennies out of the teacups of the poor by various shenanigans — W.A.White
b. : any act that is high-spirited, daring, or mischievous : prank , escapade
boys up to some shenanigan or other
2.
a. : tricky or questionable practices or conduct : humbug , fakery
febrile prosperity … founded on shenanigan — Yale Review
the simplest business transaction today is enveloped in such a mantle of idiotic shenanigan — American Mercury
revealed certain indications of shenanigan on the part of these judges — New York Sun
— usually used in plural
symbol of all the fraud and force and shenanigans and duress — W.A.White
unfair shenanigans by a competitor — M.T.Bloom
b. : any high-spirited, daring, or mischievous activity : goings-on , high jinks , monkey business — usually used in plural
the shenanigans attending a supercolossal film production — Ilka Chase
as soon as the usual parade shenanigans were over — Saul Bellow
the raiders, after an hour or two of highly diverting shenanigans … during which they drew the wildest kind of inaccurate fire, retired — Walter Karig