sabo, n.
Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: sabotage n.
Etymology: Shortened < sabotage n. Compare sabo v.
Singapore English.
The action of intentionally causing inconvenience, trouble, or harm to others, esp. to gain a personal advantage. Also: the playing of tricks or pranks. Frequently (and in earliest use) attrib. Cf. sabo v.Recorded earliest in sabo king n. at Compounds.
1977 Straits Times
(Singapore)
20 Feb. 11/4
You have been had, buddy. Sabo King strikes again!
1983 Singapore Monitor 21 June 20/2
A typical ‘sabo’ game, Mille Bornes..gives you a chance to unleash your hidden hostility against friends.
1988 New Paper
(Singapore)
28 July 8/1
Cake in the face, sauce down your shirt... No birthday party is complete without these pranks... ‘Sabo’ is today's in thing.
1992 Straits Times
(Singapore)
(Nexis)
1 Dec. (Life section) 8
His toilet roll trick was not an illusion at all but a sabo attempt.
2011 P. Gooden Story of Eng. 179
Sabo..can imply anything from serious damage to a practical joke.
1977—2011(Hide quotations)
Compounds
sabo king n. a person who causes inconvenience, trouble, or harm to others, esp. to gain a personal advantage; (also) a prankster.
1977Sabo King [see main sense].
1993 Straits Times
(Singapore)
(Nexis)
10 June 3
The true colours of the men are described, like..who is the Sabo King (someone who upsets everyone's plans).
2012 Singapore Govt. News
(Nexis)
30 Apr.
The staff who spots the mistakes of colleagues must feel empowered to point them out and not be labeled somehow as a ‘sabo’ king.
1977—2012(Hide quotations)