Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Shanghaiing

Definition: To shanghai means to force some one to do something or to go somewhere.

Etymology: It came from the practice of kidnapping to fill the crews of ships making extended voyages to places, such as to the Chinese seaport of Shanghai.
((Adapted from http://www.etymonline.com))

Sentence: The police shanghaied the captured rioters out of the streets.

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