stool pigeon

stool pigeon

noun

Definition of STOOL PIGEON

1

: a person acting as a decoy or informer; especially : a spy sent into a group to report (as to the police) on its activities

2

: a pigeon used as a decoy to draw others within a net

Examples of STOOL PIGEON

1. <the FBI finally got a break when one of the mob boss's top henchmen turned stool pigeon>

Origin of STOOL PIGEON

probably from the early practice of fastening the decoy bird to a stool

First Known Use: 1826

Related to STOOL PIGEON

Synonyms: betrayer, canary [slang], deep throat, fink, informant, nark [British], rat, rat fink, snitch, snitcher, squealer, stoolie, informer, talebearer, tattler, tattletale, telltale, whistle-blower

Related Words: collaborator; blabber, blabbermouth, gossip, gossiper, leaker; snoop, snooper, spy; notifier

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Rhymes with STOOL PIGEON

clay pigeon, religion, rock pigeon, wood pigeon