stool pigeon

noun
1.
a pigeon used as a decoy.
2.
Also called stoolie
[stoo-lee] /ˈstu li/ (Show IPA), stooly. Slang. a person employed or acting as a decoy or informer, especially for the police.
Origin
1820-30, Americanism
British Dictionary definitions for stool pigeon

stool pigeon

noun
1.
a living or dummy pigeon used to decoy others
2.
an informer for the police; nark
3.
(US, slang) a person acting as a decoy
Word Origin and History for stool pigeon
n.

"police informer," 1868, American English; earlier "one who betrays the unwary (or is used to betray them)," 1821, originally a decoy bird (1812); said to be from decoys being fastened to stools to lure other pigeons. But perhaps related to stall "decoy bird" (c.1500), especially "a pigeon used to entice a hawk into the net" (see stall (n.2)). Also cf. pigeon.

stool pigeon in Culture

stool pigeon definition


An informer, especially for the police: “Lefty figured out that Mugsy was the stool pigeon when he saw him talking to the warden.”

Slang definitions & phrases for stool pigeon

stool pigeon

noun phrase

A police informer; snitch, squealer: In New York he is also called a stool-pigeon

[1930+ Underworld; fr earlier sense ''decoy,'' fr the early 1800s practice of fastening pigeons and other birds to stools or stands as decoys; this term was applied to the decoy or ''hustler'' for a faro bank]


Idioms and Phrases with stool pigeon

stool pigeon

A decoy or informer, especially a police spy. For example, Watch out for Doug; I'm sure he's a stool pigeon for the supervisor. This term alludes to a bird tied to a stool or similar perch in order to attract other birds, which will then be shot. However, one writer believes that stool is a variant for stale or stall, both nouns used for a decoy bird before 1500 or so. [ c. 1820 ]