stool pigeon

English

Etymology

From the act of tying or even nailing a pigeon to a stool to act as a decoy for hunters.

Noun

stool pigeon (plural stool pigeons)

1. (slang) A decoy or an informer, especially one who is a spy for the police.

Synonyms

• stoolie/stooly
• See also Wikisaurus:informant

Translations

decoy

• Finnish: vasikka (fi)
• French: balance (fr) f, indic (fr) m, mouchard (fr) m
• Greek: πληροφοριοδότης (el) (pliroforiodótis) m, (colloquial) χαφιές (el) (chafiés) m

• Italian: pentito (it) m
• Polish: kapuś (pl) m, kabel (pl) m
• Russian: наседка (ru) (nasedka) f, подсадная утка (ru) (podsadnaja utka) f

References

2005:Brewers Dictionary of phrase and fable. 17th ed. Edited john Ayto.