skulduggery
UK /skʌlˈdʌɡəɹi/ · US /ˌskʌlˈdʌɡəɹi/ noun
Forms skulduggeries sculduggery scullduggery skullduggery
- noun (countable) A devious device or trick.
- noun (uncountable) Dishonest, underhanded, or unscrupulous activities or behaviour.
Synonyms
ruse stratagem subterfuge dishonesty jiggery-pokery thugduggery trickery underhandedness unscrupulousness hocus-pocus slickness hanky panky skullduggery
Antonyms
Etymology
An alteration of Scots sculduddery, sculdudrie (“adultery, unchaste behaviour; obscenity, lewdness”), of long-uncertain origin (probably a euphemism). Relation to skull is speculative at best and likely folk etymology. The American spelling skullduggery is in keeping with terms such as skillful and willful.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “skulduggery”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details