Shenanigan

shenanigan \shuh-NAN-i-guhn\, noun:

1. Mischief; prankishness.

2. Remarks intended to deceive; deceit. Often used in the plural.

Quotes:-

For his latest shenanigan, he had been sentenced to three days in the boiler room.

-- Jim Holland, Escaping the Underground

But he couldn't get traction, couldn't win over the local GOP establishment, and eventually fell victim to another shenanigan.

-- Ralph Routon, "Primary's missing ingredient," Colorado Springs Indpendent, July, 2010.

Shenanigan's origin is a mystery. The first recorded usage was in California. Possible sources for the term include Spanish, German and Iroquois.