G-men
Bureau slang, informally
G-men is slang for agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The term dates to the 1930s, when J.
Edgar Hoover's agents pursued gangsters like John Dillinger and became folk heroes.
The G stands for government.
The word sounds dated now, evoking old newsreels and black-and-white crime dramas: The G-men closed in on the hideout.
Those who act for others
- federalDivided governmental authority
- bureauOffice or furniture chest
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- directorOne who leads
Hoover · crime · enforcement · justice · raid · forensics · evidence · interrogation
American surname of note
- DillingerNotorious American gangster
- gangbustersStrikingly successful manner
- manhuntSearch for a suspect
- shootoutArmed confrontation or tiebreaker
kidnapping · Lindbergh · getaway · ambush · hideout · fingerprinting
Illicit liquor traffickers
- speakeasyIllicit liquor establishment
- moonshineIllegally distilled spirits
- rum-runningIllicit alcohol trafficking
- raidsSudden armed attacks
smuggling · hooch · repeal · revenuers · Chicago · contraband · rackets
One who provides intelligence
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
- aliasAdopted false name
- incognitoWith identity concealed
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
mole · covert · wire · surveillance · stakeout · wiretap · bugging · tailing
Hard-boiled film genre
- pulpSoft wet mass
- fedoraSoft creased felt hat
- hard-boiledCooked until solid
- newsreelShort theatrical news film
agents
Those who act for others
- federalDivided governmental authority
- bureauOffice or furniture chest
- investigationFormal examination of facts
director · Hoover · crime · enforcement · justice · raid · forensics · evidence · interrogation · counterterrorism
Hoover
American surname of note
- DillingerNotorious American gangster
- gangbustersStrikingly successful manner
- manhuntSearch for a suspect
shootout · kidnapping · Lindbergh · getaway · ambush · hideout · fingerprinting
bootleggers
Illicit liquor traffickers
- speakeasyIllicit liquor establishment
- moonshineIllegally distilled spirits
- rum-runningIllicit alcohol trafficking
raids · smuggling · hooch · repeal · revenuers · Chicago · contraband · rackets
informant
One who provides intelligence
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
- aliasAdopted false name
- incognitoWith identity concealed
disguise · mole · covert · wire · surveillance · stakeout · wiretap · bugging · tailing · sleeper
noir
Hard-boiled film genre
- pulpSoft wet mass
- fedoraSoft creased felt hat
- hard-boiledCooked until solid
- Copscop, cops, coppers, police, sheriff
- crimefighterscops, detectives, FBI, police, sheriffs
- federal agentsFBI, DEA, ATF, federal agent, federal agents
- Historical Policingconstables, sheriffs, watchmen, night watch, bobbies
- ProhibitionProhibition, speakeasies, bootlegger, bootleggers, speakeasy
G-mengangsters
Organized crime members
mobsters · criminals · outlaws · crooks · bank robbers
G-menbeat cops
Officers patrolling assigned neighborhoods
city police · county sheriff · municipal police · state troopers · sheriffs
G-mencivilians
Non-military population
private eyes · private detectives · private investigators · ordinary citizens · gumshoes