English Dictionary

shanghai

/ˈʃæŋ.haɪ/

verb

To press-gang sailors, especially (historical) for shipping or fishing work. / (US law enforcement slang) To trick a suspect into entering a jurisdiction in which they can be lawfully arrested.

The captain in Shanghai would often press-gang sailors into service.

意味（1）

To press-gang sailors, especially (historical) for shipping or fishing work.

By this time I hadn't much doubt of the nature of the trap and the identity of the trapping vessel. The faint smell of alcohol in the forehold told the story. I had been sandbagged and taken aboard a bootlegging craft, shanghaied in good old-fashioned style; and the vessel was probably now on its way to the Bahamas for a cargo of spirits.

意味（2）

(US law enforcement slang) To trick a suspect into entering a jurisdiction in which they can be lawfully arrested.

意味（3）

(US military slang) To transfer a serviceman against their will.

“Why, if you so loved and cherished the armed guard,” Captain Banning continued, “did you arrange for transfer?”

“Why, if you so loved and cherished the armed guard,” Captain Banning continued, “did you arrange for transfer?” “I never, sir! ... But he shanghaied me out of the armed guard pronto.”

意味（4）

(transitive) To commandeer, hijack, or otherwise (usually wrongfully) appropriate a place or thing.

Let's see if we can shanghai a room for a couple of hours.