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Stool pigeon

noun, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A pigeon tied to a stool by a piece of twine, used as a decoy to entice free-flying birds to the ground to be shot or trapped.
  2. 2
    a dummy pigeon used to decoy others wordnet
  3. 3
    A decoy used in a crooked gambling game. obsolete, slang
  4. 4
    someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police wordnet
  5. 5
    An informer to the authorities, especially one who gives up criminal associates. slang

Etymology

From the act of tying or even nailing a pigeon to a stool to act as a decoy by hunters. Alternatively, from an alteration of stale (“decoy”) + pigeon.

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