shamus

[ shah-muhs, shey- ]

/ ˈʃɑ məs, ˈʃeɪ- /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for shamus on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural sha·mus·es.Slang.

a detective.

a police officer.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of shamus

1925–30; of obscure origin, though popularly derived from either Yiddish shamesshammes or the Irish male given name Séamas

Words nearby shamus

shamoy, shampoo, shamrock, shamrock-pea, shamshir, shamus, Shan, Shandong, shandrydan, shandy, shandygaff

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use shamus in a sentence

When I was 10 or 11 years old, a movie company came to town to do this Burt Reynolds movie, Shamus.
How ‘Transcendence’ Director Wally Pfister Became Christopher Nolan’s Secret Weapon|Andrew Romano|April 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shamus Award–winning author Peter Spiegelman returns with this psychologically thrilling novel.
This Week’s Hot Reads||July 27, 2010|DAILY BEAST
And he asked Shamus, but he pretended he was ill—Oh, he was very unwell!
Angling Sketches|Andrew Lang
On his way to the gallows an old woman in the crowd called out in Irish Ah, Shamus alanna!
Irish Witchcraft and Demonology|St. John D. (St. John Drelincourt) Seymour

Shamus, however, seems to use less dialect on account of the dignity of his character and speech.
Browning and the Dramatic Monologue|S. S. Curry
You must know that a very long time ago, when many kings ruled Ireland, there lived a boy named Shamus.
The Cat in Grandfather's House|Carl Henry Grabo
Fergus lighted his pipe, drew his chair a little closer to the hearth, and related the story of Shamus the Harper.
The Cat in Grandfather's House|Carl Henry Grabo

British Dictionary definitions for shamus

shamus

/ (ˈʃɑːməs, ˈʃeɪ-) /

noun plural -muses

US slang a police or private detective

Word Origin for shamus

probably from shammes, influenced by Irish Séamas James

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

shamus

Origin of shamus

Words nearby shamus

Words related to shamus

How to use shamus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for shamus

Word Origin for shamus