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Definition 2024


hatchet_man

hatchet man

See also: hatchetman

English

Alternative forms

Noun

hatchet man (plural hatchet men). Alternative spelling of hatchetman

  1. A professional killer or gunman.
    The crime lord dispatched his favorite hatchetman to make sure the witness could not testify.
  2. (colloquial, idiomatic) Someone 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 hatchetman and ended up eating lunches alone.

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