noun
- Plural of cumshaw; gratuities, tips, or small gifts given as tokens of appreciation or goodwill, especially in East Asian contexts.
Usage: informal; chiefly historical; from Chinese 'cumsha' or similar origin
Examples
- The sailors received cumshaws from grateful merchants in the port.
- In colonial times, cumshaws were commonly exchanged as tokens of goodwill.
- The workers expected small cumshaws for their extra efforts.
- He distributed cumshaws to the staff during the holiday season.