Shanghai Someone Into Doing vs. Shanghai Someone To Do
Oxford directly documents shanghai somebody into doing something in an old-fashioned informal sense of tricking or forcing someone into an unwanted action. The cited entry directly supports into + -ing and marks the usage old-fashioned/informal; it does not establish shanghai + object + to-infinitive as an equivalent pattern.
Use “shanghai someone into doing” for the directly documented pattern; do not infer equal support for “shanghai someone to do.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| old-fashioned informal: trick or force someone into an unwanted action | shanghai + person + into + -ing | Use the directly documented pattern when this marked sense is intended. |
| neutral or formal instruction/assignment | choose a different verb | “Shanghai” is not a neutral synonym for ask, send, or assign. |
| treat “shanghai + person + to-infinitive” as an equal complement | not established by the reviewed source | Do not infer the to-infinitive pattern from the documented “into + -ing” construction. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Do you mean, in an old-fashioned informal way, that someone was tricked or forced into an unwanted action?
If yes: Use “shanghai someone into” + -ing.
If no: For neutral assignment or persuasion, choose a verb that directly matches that meaning rather than forcing this marked construction.
Caveat: Oxford marks this use old-fashioned and informal; the guide does not generalize it into a neutral modern causative pattern.
Examples
He joked that his friends had shanghaied him into organizing the reunion.
The sentence uses the marked informal construction for being maneuvered into an unwanted task.
They were shanghaied into joining the cleanup crew.
“Into joining” follows the directly documented complement pattern.
She felt shanghaied into handling the extra paperwork.
The example keeps the old-fashioned/informal coercive sense explicit.
Further guidance
Boundary
The cited entry directly supports into + -ing and marks the usage old-fashioned/informal; it does not establish shanghai + object + to-infinitive as an equivalent pattern.
Construction
Oxford directly documents shanghai somebody into doing something in an old-fashioned informal sense of tricking or forcing someone into an unwanted action.
Decision
Use “shanghai someone into doing” for the directly documented pattern; do not infer equal support for “shanghai someone to do.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- shanghai — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary · Direct construction evidence for shanghai somebody into doing something