different between shill vs entice

English

Etymology

Unknown; attested as verb 1914, as noun 1916. Perhaps an abbreviation of shillaber, attested 1913. The word entered English via carny, originally denoting a carnival worker who pretends to be a member of the audience in an attempt to elicit interest in an attraction.

Speculatively an extended form of German Schieber (“black marketeer, profiteer”) via *shi-la-ber.

There are some suggestions that it originates in the surname Shilaber or Shillibeer, especially George Shillibeer, but proposed origins are dubious as the word is first attested in North America in the 20th century, while proposed models are 19th century British.

American humorist Benjamin Penhallow Shillaber (1814–1890) was known to write under the name Mrs. Ruth Partington to lend credibility to some of his ideas. This is one more possible origin of the word, although there is no specific evidence supporting a connection.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??l/
• Rhymes: -?l

Noun

shill (plural shills)

1. A person paid to endorse a product favourably, while pretending to be impartial.
   • 1983, Robert Anton Wilson, Prometheus Rising,

     Witnesses have testified that Jim Jones (like a few other professional faith-healers) used shills part of the time....

2. An accomplice at a confidence trick during an auction or gambling game.
   • 1994, Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing,

     The pitchman swept his cane in a slow acceleration over the heads of the crowd and then suddenly pointed the silver cap toward Billy and the shill.

3. (gambling) A house player in a casino.

Synonyms

• shillaber

Translations

Verb

shill (third-person singular simple present shills, present participle shilling, simple past and past participle shilled)

1. (derogatory) To promote or endorse in return for payment, especially dishonestly.
   • 1996, Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World,

     Today there are even commercials in which real scientists, some of considerable distinction, shill for corporations. They teach that scientists too will lie for money. As Tom Paine warned, inuring us to lies lays the groundwork for many other evils.

2. To put under cover; to sheal.
3. (Britain, obsolete, dialect) To shell.

Related terms

• sheep-dip

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Hills, hills

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French enticier, from a Vulgar Latin *intiti?re, from Latin titi?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?ta?s/
• Rhymes: -a?s

Verb

entice (third-person singular simple present entices, present participle enticing, simple past and past participle enticed)

1. (transitive) To lure; to attract by arousing desire or hope.

   I enticed the little bear into the trap with a pot of honey.

Related terms

• enticement
• enticing

Translations

See also

• beguile
• tempt
• seduce

References

• entice in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• entice in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• encite