shamus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dashiell Hammett’s detective Sam Spade did his shamus business in the fogs of San Francisco, but Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe made L.A. the noir capital.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 18, 2022

With a cheap business card and an equally cheap jacket and tie, he smilingly ambles it into the shamus role, knocking on doors and sniffing out leads among all the yammer and serviceable visuals.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2018

K does his grim job thoroughly and without complaint, showing the weary, cynical patience of an old-time shamus.

From New York Times • Oct. 2, 2017

The film, which marked the directorial debut of screenwriter John Huston, stars a perfectly cast Bogart as San Francisco shamus Sam Spade in this near-flawless adaptation of the Dashiell Hammett novel.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2016

I've got friends in PIB—real friends, not the shamus crowd you're acquainted with that'll take you for your last nickel and then leave you to starve.

From Bear Trap by Nourse, Alan Edward