shamus

English

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Pronunciation

• enPR: shä'məs, IPA: /ˈʃɑːməs/, X-SAMPA: /"SA:m@s/
• enPR: shā'məs, IPA: /ˈʃeɪməs/, X-SAMPA: /"SeIm@s/
• Rhymes: -eɪməs
• Homophones: Seamus (of -ā-/-eɪ-/-eI- pronunciation)

Noun

shamus (plural shamuses)

1. A private detective.
   • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter IV:

     “That's what you're here for. Didn't your aunt tell you? She wants you to follow Wilbert Cream and Phyllis about everywhere and see that he doesn't get a chance of proposing.”
     “You mean that I'm to be a sort of private eye or shamus, tailing them up? I don't like it,” I said dubiously.