comshaw
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The practice of pilfering or bartering for surplus items.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The practice was so common it was no longer considered stealing. It was comshaw. That kind of thinking made the Iran/Contra arms scandal and Watergate okay at the time. It's comshaw when you do it, but it's stealing when you get caught; it's politics when you do it, but it's illegal when you're foun
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “comshaw” mean?
The practice of pilfering or bartering for surplus items.
Is “comshaw” formal or informal?
comshaw is generally slang.