shill

name

Etymology: Unexplained.

1. A surname.

noun

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.

1. A person paid to endorse a product while pretending to be impartial.

   “carnival barkers and their shills, fleecing the rubes”

   “Witnesses have testified that Jim Jones (like a few other professional faith-healers) used shills part of the time […]”

2. Any person enthusiastically endorsing a product; especially, one who is getting paid for the endorsement.

   “On the screen, there was that quack again, playing the shill for yet another drug company.”

   “Meanwhile, an influence operation by Iranian shill accounts began amplifying commentary critical of the war almost immediately after the first US strikes on Iran.”

3. An accomplice at a confidence trick during an auction or gambling game, such as an accomplice of the seller who bids to drive up the price.

   “Near-synonyms: inside man, potted plant (contextually synonymous)”

   “Sniping is necessary because if you bid before the last minute it just gives the shills more time to screw you over.”

4. A house player in a casino.

   “There may even be a casino shill sitting adjacent to you. Normally, the casino shills are gorgeous women, and sometimes men, so enjoy the scenery.”

verb

1. To shell.