cahoots

Meanings

Noun

• Collusion or collaboration to nefarious ends.
• Plural of cahoot.

Verb

• Third-person singular simple present indicative form of cahoot

Origin

• From earlier cahoot. This word was used in popular English literature in the early nineteenth century. It comes perhaps from French cahute, from Middle French quahute, from Old French *cahute, chahute, possibly as a blend of cabane and/or caverne + Old French hute; or alternatively from Old French ca- + hute. Also possibly considered to be from French cohorte, or a slang form of English cohort in the meaning "accomplice."