shoo

shoo
shoo (v.) 1620s, "to drive away by calling 'shoo,' " from the exclamation (late 15c.), instinctive, Cf. Ger. schu, It. scioia. Shoo-in "easy winner (especially in politics)" (1939) was originally a horse that wins a race by pre-arrangement (1928; the verb phrase shoo in in this sense is from 1908). Shoo-fly, admonition to a pest, was popularized by a Dan Bryant minstrel song c.1870, which launched it as a catch-phrase that, according to H.L. Mencken, "afflicted the American people for at least two years." Shoo-fly pie is attested from 1935.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • shoo-in — n especially AmE informal someone who is expected to easily win a race, election etc shoo in for ▪ He was far from a shoo in for president. shoo in to do sth ▪ He looked like a shoo in to win the Democratic nomination …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • shoo-in — shoo ins N COUNT A shoo in is a person or thing that seems sure to succeed. [mainly AM, INFORMAL] Ms Brown is still no shoo in for the November election …   English dictionary

  • shoo — [sho͞o] interj. [echoic] go away; get out: used as in driving away chickens or other animals vi. shooed, shooing to cry “shoo” vt. to drive away abruptly, by or as by crying “shoo” …   English World dictionary

  • Shoo — Shoo, interj. [Cf. G. scheuchen to scare, drive away.] Begone; away; an expression used in frightening away animals, especially fowls. [1913 Webster] [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shoo — shoo·ther; shoo; …   English syllables

  • shoo-in — ☆ shoo in [sho͞o′in΄ ] n. [ SHOO + IN2] Informal someone or something expected to win easily in an election, a race, etc …   English World dictionary

  • shoo-in — noun singular AMERICAN INFORMAL someone who seems certain to win something, for example an election or a competition …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • shoo-in — shoo′ in n. inf a candidate, competitor, etc., regarded as certain to win • Etymology: 1945–50, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • shoo — [[t]ʃu͟ː[/t]] shoos, shooing, shooed 1) VERB If you shoo an animal or a person away, you make them go away by waving your hands or arms at them. [V n with adv] You d better shoo him away... [V n prep] I shooed him out of the room. 2) EXCLAM You… …   English dictionary

  • shoo-in — {n.}, {informal} Someone or something that is expected to win; a favorite; sure winner. * /Chris is a shoo in to win a scholarship./ * /Do you think he will win the election? He s a shoo in./ * /This horse is a shoo in. He can t miss winning./… …   Dictionary of American idioms

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