skulduggery

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++skul·dug·ge·ry, skullduggery /ˌskʌlˈdʌɡəri/ noun [uncountable] old-fashioned  DISHONESTsecretly dishonest or illegal activity – also used humorously 弄虚作假，诡计，花招；非法活动〔亦作幽默用法〕

Examples from the Corpus

skulduggery• Who is going to pick up the bill for all their tommy rot and skulduggery, Miss Green?• And yet ... she thought of Officer Hassan and his belief that there had been skulduggery in the case of Wolfgang Klein.• He is serving a prison sentence for financial skulduggery.• Samuel was convulsed with fury at this new evidence of skulduggery, resolved that no holds would be barred now.• An account of that can be woven into the story of skulduggery that now follows.• She refused to think about Simon's skulduggery - or any corrections - now.Origin skulduggery (1800-1900) sculduddery “immoral activity” ((18-19 centuries))

skul·dug·ge·ry nounChineseSyllable  

or Corpus secretly also – dishonest activity illegal

skulduggery
skul‧dug‧ge‧ry , skullduggery /ˌskʌlˈdʌɡəri/ noun [uncountable] old-fashionedsecretly dishonest or illegal activity – also used humorously

skul·dug·gery (also skull·dug·gery) BrE /skʌlˈdʌɡəri/ 🔊NAmE /skʌlˈdʌɡəri/ 🔊 noun [uncountable] (old-fashioned or humorous) dishonest behaviour or activities 阴谋诡计；花招；欺骗