hatchet man

See also: hatchetman

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Noun

hatchet man (plural hatchet men)

  1. A male professional killer or gunman.
    The crime lord dispatched his favorite hatchet man to make sure the witness would not testify.
  2. (US, historical) A male hatchet-wielding participant in a Chinese-American tong war.
    Synonym: boo how doy
  3. (colloquial, idiomatic) A male who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.
    After the layoffs, he gained a reputation as a hatchet man and ended up eating lunches alone.

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