Skullduggery

While listening to KNX1070 last week, during their business segment, Frank Mottek and an expert were talking about one of the many terrible financial situations going on right now. I forget if it was about the housing crisis, Wall Street or oil speculators, but the expert used the word skullduggery.

What a genius, image-conjuring word! I immediately pictured shady backroom deals and back alley exchanges. Skullduggery only has one meaning. From Dictionary.com:

skull·dug·ger·y or skul·dug·ger·y n. pl. skull·dug·ger·ies or skul·dug·ger·ries

Crafty deception or trickery or an instance of it.


[Probably alteration of Scots sculduddery, obscenity, fornication.]

Really, its perfect when describing what may have happened to bring down our economy. Sigh.