The word "shill" can be used both as a noun and a verb. Let's break it down in a simple way.
As a noun: A shill is someone who pretends to be an excited customer or supporter to trick other people into buying something, participating in an event, or believing something is good. They do this to encourage others to join in or spend money.
As a verb: To shill means to act like a shill. This means pretending to be a real customer or supporter to promote something.
In more complex discussions, "shill" can refer to tactics in advertising or marketing where someone might not disclose their true intentions, leading to ethical discussions about honesty in selling.
While "shill" primarily refers to the act of deception in sales and promotions, it can sometimes be used in a broader context to indicate someone who supports or promotes something (like a political candidate) in a way that is not entirely honest.
There aren't specific idioms or phrasal verbs that include "shill," but you might hear it used in phrases like "act as a shill" or "be a shill for."
In summary, a shill is someone who pretends to be a genuine customer to trick others into buying something. As a verb, to shill means to behave in this deceptive way.