Definition

1. Verb:
   • To force someone to join a ship's crew, especially by trickery or violence: The primary historical meaning refers to the practice of kidnapping men to serve as sailors on ships, often after drugging or intoxicating them.
   • To coerce or trick someone into doing something: A more general, modern figurative use meaning to force someone into an unwanted situation or job through deceit or pressure.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • In the 19th century, unscrupulous captains would often shanghai men from port taverns to fill their crews.
  • He felt he was shanghaied into organizing the office party, even though it wasn't his responsibility.
  • The sailors were shanghaied in San Francisco and didn't regain their freedom until the ship reached Hong Kong.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a historical context to describe the brutal practice common in ports during the age of sailing ships.
• In modern figurative use, it implies a lack of consent and the use of underhanded methods. It carries a strong negative connotation of coercion.
  • The committee shanghaied the new member into taking the secretary role.
  • I didn't volunteer; I was practically shanghaied into this project.

Variants and Related Words

• Shanghaier (noun): A person who shanghais others.
  • The shanghaier was known to frequent the dockside bars.

Synonyms

• Verb: Impress, press-gang, kidnap, coerce, conscript, strong-arm.
  • "Impress" and "press-gang" are close historical synonyms for the maritime context.
  • "Coerce" and "strong-arm" are general synonyms for the figurative meaning.

Phrasal Verbs / Common Constructions

• To shanghai someone into (doing) something: This is the standard construction for the figurative meaning.
  • They shanghaied me into giving a speech at the last minute.
  • She was shanghaied into serving on the board.

Related Idioms

• While "shanghai" itself is not typically part of a larger idiom, its usage evokes the idea of being shanghaied into service, which is a set phrase describing the act of being forced into an obligation.
  • He didn't join the club willingly; he was shanghaied into service by his friends.

Noun

1. the largest city of China; located in the east on the Pacific; one of the largest ports in the world

Verb

1. take (someone) against his will for compulsory service, especially on board a ship
   • The men were shanghaied after being drugged