Cahoots
/kəˈhuːts/
nounB2
Definition
The word "cahoots" refers to a secret partnership or agreement between people, often to do something bad or dishonest. It is usually used in the plural form and in informal speech. When people are "in cahoots," they are secretly working together.
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⚡ See It in Action
Secret cooperation, often dishonest or illegal
- •The two companies were in cahoots to fix prices.
- •The thieves were in cahoots to steal the jewels.
- •He was in cahoots with the enemy to leak information.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "cahoots" like "team," but a secret team that hides what they do.
- ✓Picture two people whispering and planning something behind others’ backs.
- ✓It feels like when you and a friend plan a surprise party and keep it secret, but with a bad or sneaky idea.
- ✓Sounds like "cah-HOOTS" → imagine two owls (hoot = owl sound) secretly meeting at night to plan something.
- ✓In stories or movies, villains are often in cahoots to trick the hero.
- ✓NOT like "friendship" (open and honest), "cahoots" means secret and often dishonest cooperation.
- ✓NOT like "partnership" (normal and official), cahoots is secret and usually for wrong reasons.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Collusion: secret agreement for dishonest purposes (Use in formal or legal contexts)
- •Conspiracy: secret plan to do something harmful (Use when the plan is illegal or harmful)
- •Partnership: working together (Use for open and legal cooperation)
- •Alliance: agreement between groups or people (Use for formal or positive cooperation)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: (No clear prefix or suffix; "cahoots" is a plural noun)
- •Etymology: Origin uncertain, possibly from French "cahute" meaning hut or cabin, suggesting people hiding or meeting secretly
- •Historical development: Used in English since the early 1800s to mean secret partnership, often with bad intentions
- •Modern usage: Mostly informal and used to describe secret, dishonest cooperation between people or groups
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can being in cahoots ever be a good thing, or is it always negative? Why?
•How does the idea of secret cooperation affect trust between people or groups?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The two politicians were in cahoots to ___ the election results.
2.When people are in cahoots, they usually keep their plans ___ from others.
3.Unlike a normal team, being in cahoots often means the cooperation is ___ or dishonest.
4.The phrase "in cahoots with" is often used to describe a secret ___ between people.
5.Companies in cahoots might ___ prices to make more money unfairly.
6.If someone is not in cahoots, they are likely to act ___ and openly.
7.Detectives suspected the criminals were in cahoots because they always ___ their moves.