button man
Mafia's hired killer
A button man is a low-ranking member of an organized crime family who carries out violent assignments—intimidation, beatings, murders.
The term comes from Mafia slang, where "button" signifies made membership in the organization.
Button men do the dirty work while bosses maintain distance: The family sent a button man to collect the debt.
- gunmanArmed violent person
- assassinPaid murderer of targets
- triggermanHired killer with firearm
- mobsterOrganized crime member
- hitmanProfessional paid murderer
gangster · omertà · hired gun · enforcer · cleaner · cement shoes · sleeping with the fishes · kiss of death · contract killer · gangland · gun-for-hire · hit squad · killer · soldier · bruiser · bagman · executioner · mafia
- tough guystough guys, tough guy, thug, thugs, enforcer
- Assassinsassassin, hitman, John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, Brutus
- organized crimemafia, mob, the mob, syndicate, crime syndicate
- underworld slangsnitch, rat out, hitman, capo, consigliere
- hired killersassassin, hitman, sicario, contract killer, hired gun
- Mafiamafia, Cosa Nostra, Sicilian Mafia, Five Families, Colombo