From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishskulduggeryskul‧dug‧ge‧ry, skullduggery /ˌskʌlˈdʌɡəri/ noun [uncountable] old-fashioned DISHONESTsecretly dishonest or illegal activity – also used humorously
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)) 