skulduggery

[skuhl-duhg-uh-ree] /skʌlˈdʌg ə ri/

noun, plural skulduggeries.

dishonorable proceedings; mean dishonesty or trickery:

bribery, graft, and other such skulduggery.

an instance of dishonest or deceitful behavior; trick.

Also, skullduggery, sculduggery, scullduggery.

Origin

1705-15, Americanism; variant of sculduddery, orig. Scots: fornication, obscenity < ?

Examples from the web for skulduggery

Congratulations to all for their mastery of skulduggery.
Admittedly, none of these tales has lacked for skulduggery either.
Translation delays should not be attributed to skulduggery or incompetence.
The scarier these agencies make the enemy appear, the more cash they can claim to need for their own skulduggery.
Finding evidence of that sort of skulduggery may be difficult, and proving it even more so.
Already this year, however, two more governors have been removed for campaign skulduggery.
And his alleged skulduggery went on under the noses of the public-prosecutor's office.
Jolly enough, but relentless skulduggery did not help the empire's stability.
He will still cheat, and he will certainly try to obstruct the outsiders' view of his skulduggery.
Regional elections are still tarnished by money and skulduggery.

British Dictionary definitions for skulduggery

/skʌlˈdʌɡərɪ/

noun

(informal) underhand dealing; trickery

Word Origin

C19: altered from earlier Scot sculduddery; of obscure origin

Word Origin and History for skulduggery

1856, apparently an alteration of Scottish sculdudrie "adultery" (1713), sculduddery "bawdry, obscenity" (1821), a euphemism of uncertain origin.

Slang definitions & phrases for skulduggery

noun

Shady behavior; dirty work, hanky-panky

[1867+; a US alteration of Scots sculduddery, ''bawdry, obscenity,'' which is attested from the early 18th century]