leg-breaker

• leg breaker, legbreaker

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

leg-breaker (plural leg-breakers)

1. (chiefly US, slang) A violent thug, especially one employed as an enforcer by a criminal organization (e.g., a mafia, a loan shark).
   • 1974 September 4, Victor Riesel, “Mob money took Rebozo”, in Rome News-Tribune, US, retrieved 5 Jan. 2009, page 4:

     The thug was an acknowledged leg breaker, a shakedown artist, a peddler of violence.

2. A person whose job is to break the legs of poultry in a food processing facility.
   • 2000, M. McDiarmid et al., “Male and Female Rate Differences in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Injuries”, in Environmental Research, volume 83, number 1, page 28:

     For example, jobs described as meat wrapper or leg breaker would both be coded "butcher meat cutter."

3. (soccer) A tackle or other on-field maneuver capable of breaking a player's leg.
   • 2008 December 22, “Mailbox”, in football365.com, retrieved 5 Jan. 2009:

     Arca performed a similar stunt with a high over-the-top-of-the-ball tackle on Andy Johnson, except he connected. It is what is called a leg-breaker.

4. (cycling) A demanding bicycling competition or the course on which such a competition is held.
   • 2003 May 22, Tim Maloney, “First Edition News for May 22, 2003”, in cyclingnews.com, retrieved 5 Jan. 2009:

     Zoncolan is a fabled leg breaker of a 13.3km climb that is one of the toughest ascents ever included in a major stage race.

5. (cricket) A cricketer who bowls leg breaks.
   • 1905, The Strand Magazine, page 703:

     Armstrong is a leg-breaker, with eight fielders on the on-side. Probably he would do better if he bowled more at the wicket.

6. (cricket) A leg break ball.
   • 1894 September 18, “Canadian Cricketers Lead”, in New York Times, retrieved 5 Jan. 2009, page 3:

     Noble joined Wood, and the pair changed the aspect of affairs, 45 being up before a leg breaker from McGiverin proved too good for Noble's defense.

• leg break
• leg-breaking