cahoots English · revision 2481

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kəˈhuːts/; /kəˈhuts/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an American word of uncertain origin.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is perhaps [[bor|fr|cahute|t=cabin, hut]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) but some American sources trace it instead to French ''cohorte'', said to have meant “companions, confederates”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Company, partnership, recorded as ''cohoot'' in 1829 in Southern and Western American English.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word is used chiefly in the phrase ''in cahoots'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Wiktionary) and it has come to suggest collusion, often for a dishonest purpose, rather than a plain partnership.^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1829 – ''cohoot'', a company or partnership (American).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * early 19th century – ''in cahoots'', in collusion.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Secret partnership or questionable collaboration, used in the phrase ''in cahoots''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cohort]]

+ * [[cabin]]

+ * [[hut]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}