crooks
Shepherds carry them
Crooks is the plural of crook—people who engage in dishonest or criminal activity: The company was run by crooks.
A crook is also a hooked staff, especially the curved implement carried by shepherds, which gives us the crook of the arm (the inside bend of the elbow) and the verb crook, meaning to bend: She crooked her finger to beckon him over.
Serious crime offenders
- outlawsFugitives from justice
- thievesThose who commit larceny
- robbersThose who steal forcibly
- burglarsThose who illegally enter
fraudsters · embezzlers · pickpockets · conmen · swindlers · muggers · bandits · smugglers
Arm's middle joint
- kneeLeg's middle hinge
- curveSmooth, angleless line
- angleGeometric measure of rotation
- hookCurved catching device
bow · arc · flexure · crescent · zigzag · turn · twist · loop
Episcopal ceremonial staff
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- graftIllicit political gain
extortion · money laundering · cronyism · malfeasance · misappropriation · racketeering · swindle · tax evasion
felons
Serious crime offenders
burglars · fraudsters · embezzlers · pickpockets · conmen · swindlers · muggers · bandits · smugglers · fugitives
elbow
Arm's middle joint
hook · bow · arc · flexure · crescent · zigzag · turn · twist · loop · coil
crosier
Episcopal ceremonial staff
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
graft · extortion · money laundering · cronyism · malfeasance · misappropriation · racketeering · swindle · tax evasion · venality
mobsters
Organized crime members
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- capoString-shortening clamp device
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
syndicate · hitman · wiseguy · consigliere · don · enforcer · hoodlum · racketeer · thug · kingpin
- roguesrogue, rogues, scoundrel, scoundrels, rascal
- Egyptian Antiquitiesmummies, sarcophagi, sarcophagus, canopic jars, scarabs
- sheep farmingsheep farming, sheep ranching, shepherding, shearing, lambing
- thatchingthatch, reed, straw, reeds, palm fronds
- curvescurve, arc, curves, curls, curl
- predatorspredators, hunters, lions, falcon, fox
crooksstraight arrows
Conventional, upstanding people
saints · good guys · good people · do-gooders · straight shooters
crookscops
Informal term for police
prosecutors · detectives · lawmen · judges · crime fighters
crookspillars of the community
Respected, influential local figures
heroes · saints · benefactors · philanthropists · contributors
- crooked smileAsymmetrical facial expression
- crooked copCorrupt police officer
- shepherd's crookHooked staff for herding
- by hook or crookUsing whatever method necessary
- by hook or by crookUsing whatever method works
- crooked politician
crooked, crook, crookedness, crooking, by hook or by crook, shepherd's crook