Stool pigeon what is

It isn't far from 'estale pigeon' to 'stool pigeon'. All of that seems quite straightforward, except for the fact that the term 'stool pigeon', or 'stoolie', doesn't appear in print until the 19th century and in a completely different context.

It is first used in American publications and referred to criminals who lured others into crime rather than to decoy birds. The earliest example I can find of the expression is from May when it was used in the Gettysburg paper The Adams Centinel , in a story about fraudulent paper-makers, that is, counterfeiters.

Origin of stool pigeon An Americanism dating back to — Words nearby stool pigeon stook , Stookey-Scarff operation , stookie , stool , stool ball , stool pigeon , stooly , stoop , stoop ball , stoop labor , stoop to.

Words related to stool pigeon agent provocateur , betrayer , blabbermouth , decoy , fink , informant , informer , plant , rat , sneak , snitch , source , spy , squealer , tattletale , turncoat , weasel , double-crosser , stoolie , tattler.

How to use stool pigeon in a sentence He noticed her in the crowd while he was sitting on his stool between rounds. The Wave Algernon Blackwood. US slang a person acting as a decoy. See how your sentence looks with different synonyms. Meet Grammar Coach. How to use stool pigeon in a sentence. Tony's stool was nearer to the bass keys of the piano, while the sofa Lettice lay upon had certainly been drawn up towards him.

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Definition of stool pigeon. Keep scrolling for more. Synonyms for stool pigeon Synonyms betrayer , canary [ slang ], deep throat , fink , informant , informer , nark [ British ], rat , rat fink , snitch , snitcher , squealer , stoolie , talebearer , tattler , tattletale , telltale , whistle-blower Visit the Thesaurus for More.

Examples of stool pigeon in a Sentence the FBI finally got a break when one of the mob boss's top henchmen turned stool pigeon. Recent Examples on the Web They are barred from using certain language during debates including git, guttersnipe, swine and stool pigeon. First Known Use of stool pigeon , in the meaning defined at sense 1.