Shenanigans

Posted by ESC on September 26, 2003

In Reply to: Shennanigans posted by Patrick on September 26, 2003

: Can anyone throw some light on the origin of the above? Someone has suggested it is a derivation of arabic and means 'to play the fox'.

Here are a few more theories:

SHENANIGAN - "n. 1855, of uncertain origin. Spanish 'chanada' (a shortened form of 'charranada') trick or deceit, is a possible source, or less likely, German peddler's argo 'Schenigelei' work, craft, or the German slang verb 'schinaglen' to toil." From The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology by Robert K. Barnhart (HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1995).