Shanghai

/ˈʃæŋˌhaɪ/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A person who has been shanghaied, particularly into involuntary servitude.

Many shanghai victims never returned home after being taken against their will.

verb

To coerce or trick (someone) into joining a ship, especially in the context of obtaining sailors through deceitful means.

In the 19th century, sailors were often shanghaied into service on merchant ships.

To kidnap or abduct a person for forced labor or to be used in a specific job.

The criminal gang was known to shanghai young men off the streets for their operations.

To engage or lure someone into a situation or commitment through dishonest means.

He felt shanghaied into the scheme when he realized the fine print hidden in the contract.

The term originated in the late 19th century, probably from Shanghai, a port in China, associated with the practice of forcibly recruiting sailors.

shanghaied

To have been forcibly recruited or deceived into a situation.

shanghaiing

The act of coercing someone into service, especially aboard a ship.

kidnapping

The unlawful taking away of a person by force or fraud.

coercion

The practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats.

To trick someone into a commitment or responsibility.

I can't believe I got shanghaied into planning the whole event!

To be unexpectedly forced into a task or role.

He was shanghaied into the project without any warning.