Of American-English origin, the verb shanghai means: – to force someone to join a ship lacking a full crew by drugging them or using other underhand means; – and, by extension, to coerce or trick someone into a place or position or into doing something.

What does shanghai mean as a verb?

shanghai \shang-HYE\ verb. 1 a : to put aboard a ship by force often with the help of liquor or a drug. b : to put by force or threat of force into or as if into a place of detention. 2 : to put by trickery into an undesirable position.

Where does the verb to shanghai come from?

Etymology. The verb "shanghai" joined the lexicon with "crimping" and "sailor thieves" in the 1850s, possibly because Shanghai was a common destination of the ships with abducted crews. The term has since expanded to mean "kidnapped" or "induced to do something by means of fraud."

How do you use shanghai in a sentence?

1. Pirates were able to shanghai several of our crewman by waiting for them just up shore from the dock.
2. Although he planned to shanghai the jewelry dealers, the robber decided that kidnapping was a little too immoral, even for him.

What part of speech is shanghai?

shanghai used as a verb:

To force or trick (someone) into joining a ship which is lacking a full crew. To abduct or coerce. "Let's see if we can shanghai a room for a couple of hours."

Have Gun Will Travel 072, Shanghai Is A Verb, Old Time Radio OTR

Why is Shanghai called Shanghai?

Etymology. The two Chinese characters in the city's name are 上 (shàng/zan, "upon") and 海 (hǎi/hae, "sea"), together meaning "Upon the Sea". The earliest occurrence of this name dates from the 11th-century Song dynasty, when there was already a river confluence and a town with this name in the area.

What does Shanghai mean in Chinese?

The Mandarin Chinese name of Shanghai is Shànghǎi, which is written as 上海 in Chinese characters. This name means "On-the-Sea" because Shanghai used to be next to the East China Sea.

What is Shanghai known for?

Shanghai is a popular tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as The Bund, City God Temple and Yu Garden as well as the extensive Lujiazui skyline, many skyscrapers, and major museums including the Shanghai Museum and the China Art Museum.

What is the city of Shanghai?

Shanghai, also spelled Shang-hai, city and province-level shi (municipality), east-central China. It is one of the world's largest seaports and a major industrial and commercial centre of China. Skyline of Shanghai, China.

Can you Shanghai someone?

The traditional way to shanghai someone is to drug him and put him on a ship. When the person wakes up, he better get to work. This term popped up in the 19th century. ... If you trick your best friend into coming home with you so she can do your chores, you shanghai her.

Are you trying to Shanghai me?

Historically to Shanghai someone means to get them to work on a merchant ship without their consent or by force. Crews had to be rounded up in port, and it was common to get unsuspecting blokes passed-out drunk or to simply knock them out and have them wake up at sea.

Are the Shanghai tunnels real?

The practice was known as shanghaiing, and the alleged tunnels are known today as Shanghai tunnels. While historians have found no evidence to substantiate the existence of a tunnel network, the myth has persisted. ... Shanghaiing describes the practice of kidnapping a man for service aboard a sailing ship.

Is Shanghai a sweet food?

Shanghai cuisine emphasises the use of condiments while retaining the original flavours of raw ingredients. It aims at lightness in flavour and is mellower and slightly sweet in taste compared to some other Chinese cuisines. Sweet and sour is a typical Shanghai taste.

What is ornery behavior?

The definition of ornery is someone bad tempered or stubborn. A grumpy old man who is always looking to pick a fight is an example of someone who would be described as ornery. adjective.

What's the meaning of Beijing?

The name Beijing, which means "Northern Capital" (from the Chinese characters 北 for north and 京 for capital), was applied to the city in 1403 during the Ming dynasty to distinguish the city from Nanjing (the "Southern Capital").

What is a nickname for China?

China – The Red Dragon

The dragon is as much part of Chinese culture today as it has been throughout the centuries; hence it has become the country's nickname.

Why is Shanghai called Paris of the East?

The Teatry of Nanking between Great Britain and China granted trading concessions in Shanghai to European powers. ... During the 1920s and 30s, just before World War II, Shanghai was known as the “Paris of the East, the New York of the West” -synonymous with pleasure, decadence, glamour, power and money.

What language is spoken in Shanghai?

Shanghainese, also known as the Shanghai language, Shanghai dialect, or Hu language, is a Wu Chinese language spoken in the central districts of the City of Shanghai and its surrounding areas.

What is a synonym for simony?

simonynoun. The act of buying and selling ecclesiastical offices and pardons. Synonyms: Simonism.

Does Shanghai have a flag?

The flag is based on the flag of the Shanghai International Settlement consisting of a red saltire but with the seal of the Shanghai Municipal Council (containing the flags of the European countries that controlled the territory) replaced with a blue circle.

Who built Shanghai?

The history of Shanghai spans over a thousand years and closely parallels the development of modern China. Originally a small agricultural village, Shanghai developed during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1912) as one of China's principal trading ports.