cahoots

cahoots

English

Etymology

Earlier cahoot. This word was used in popular English literature in the early nineteenth century. It comes perhaps from French cahute (“cabin”), from Old French [Term?], possibly blend of cabane (“cabin”), and hutte (“hut”). Also thought to be from French cohorte, or a slang form of English cohort in the meaning "accomplice."

Pronunciation

• enPR: kə-ho͞otsʹ, IPA^(key): /kəˈhuːts/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

cahoots pl (normally plural, singular cahoot)

1. Collusion or collaboration to nefarious ends.

   Being frustrated or up in cahoots.

   • 1990, John Updike, Rabbit at Rest‎, page 86:

     “They probably give it back to him; they're all in cahoots.”

2. (uncommon) plural of cahoot.
   • 1869, United States Congress, Congressional Globe‎, page 538:

     Fisk and his “cahoots” have got at cross purposes, and he has been put out of bed. Whether Fisk is rightly or wrongly out of bed is not for Congress to determine.

Derived terms

• in cahoots
• go cahoots

Translations

collusion or collaboration to nefarious ends

French: ligue (fr) f Greek: τα κάνω πλακάκια (ta káno plakákia) Italian: combutta (it) f Japanese: 共謀 (ja) (kyōbō)

Portuguese: trama (pt) f, conluio (pt) m Russian: соучастник (ru) m (součastnik) Spanish: colusión (es) f

See also

• cohort

Verb

cahoots

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of cahoot

Anagrams

• atchoos