shaft

get the shaft

To be exploited, cheated, or taken advantage of; to be treated unfairly. Whenever a crappy job comes around, I'm always the one who gets the shaft. Once again it's folks living in rural communities who end up getting the shaft. Why did I get the shaft all of a sudden? I've been a loyal employee for 10 years!

See also: get, shaft

give (one) the shaft

To exploit, cheat, or take advantage of one; to treat one unfairly. Whenever a promotion comes around, management always manages to give me the shaft. Because we live in a tiny, rural community, we feel like the government tends to give us the shaft. Why did the boss give me the shaft all of a sudden? I've been a loyal employee for 10 years!

See also: give, shaft

shafted

slang Cheated or swindled; unfairly deprived or taken advantage of; screwed (over). I always bring my dad with me when I go to get my car repaired, because I'm always nervous I'll end up getting shafted by the mechanics. We should have won that game, but we were really shafted by the ref.

See also: shaft

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

get the shaft

Sl. to be cheated; to be taken advantage of; to be mistreated. (See also give someone the shaft.) Why do I get the shaft when I did nothing wrong?

See also: get, shaft

give someone the shaft

Sl. to cheat or deceive someone; to mistreat someone. (See also get the shaft.) The boss really gave Wally the shaft. Somebody always gives me the shaft.

See also: give, shaft

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

give somebody the ˈshaft

(American English, informal) treat somebody unfairly: It seems to me that the big corporations are keeping all the money for themselves and giving the shaft to ordinary consumers, as usual.

See also: give, shaft, somebody

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

give someone the shaft

tv. to cheat or deceive someone; to mistreat someone. (see also shaft.) The boss really gave Willy the shaft.

See also: give, shaft, someone

shaft

1. n. a bad deal; unfair treatment. He really gave me the shaft.

2. tv. to do wrong to someone; to harm or cheat someone. (see also shafted.) We are going to shaft this guy in a way that he will remember.

shafted

mod. beaten; bested; cheated. I really got shafted in that deal.

See also: shaft

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.