shanghai Definition
- 1to force someone to do something, especially to work or travel somewhere against their will
- 2to kidnap someone for forced labor or service on a ship
Using shanghai: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "shanghai" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The sailors were shanghaied and taken to sea.
Example
He was shanghaied into working on the docks.
Example
The company shanghais its employees to work overtime without pay.
shanghai Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with shanghai
Example
The boss shanghaied me into working on the weekend.
shanghaiing practice
the act of kidnapping someone for forced labor or service on a ship
Example
The shanghaiing practice was common in the 19th century.
shanghai express
a train or bus that travels non-stop to a destination
Example
The shanghai express from New York to Chicago takes only 12 hours.
Origins of shanghai
from the practice of kidnapping men to work on ships in the port of Shanghai, China
Summary: shanghai in Brief
The verb 'shanghai' [ˈʃæŋhaɪ] means to force someone to do something, especially to work or travel somewhere against their will. It originated from the practice of kidnapping men to work on ships in the port of Shanghai, China. Examples include 'The sailors were shanghaied and taken to sea.' and 'The company shanghais its employees to work overtime without pay.' Phrases like 'shanghai someone into something' denote coercion, while 'shanghai express' refers to a non-stop train or bus.
