kingpin
Top criminal mastermind
A kingpin is the most important person in an organization, especially a criminal one: a drug kingpin, a mafia kingpin.
The term implies someone who controls operations from the top.
Originally, a kingpin was the front pin in bowling or the central bolt in a vehicle's steering mechanism—the one everything else depends on.
Organized crime member
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
- bossWorkplace superior
mafia · underworld · don · racketeer · crime lord · capo · narcotrafficker · smuggler
Forceful impact or stoppage
- spareHeld in reserve
- alleyNarrow way between buildings
- laneDesignated travel strip
- ballSpherical plaything or gala
headpin · tenpin · rack · split · frame · gutter · hook · league
Vital securing element
- cornerstoneFoundational building block
- keystoneArch's central locking stone
- hubCentral connection point
- anchorSecures ships to seabed
crux · nexus · fulcrum · mainstay · central figure · key player · driving force · prime mover
mobster
Organized crime member
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
boss · mafia · underworld · don · racketeer · crime lord · capo · narcotrafficker · smuggler · gangster
strike
Forceful impact or stoppage
ball · headpin · tenpin · rack · split · frame · gutter · hook · league · bowler
linchpin
Vital securing element
- cornerstoneFoundational building block
- keystoneArch's central locking stone
- hubCentral connection point
anchor · crux · nexus · fulcrum · mainstay · central figure · key player · driving force · prime mover
- organized crimemafia, mob, the mob, syndicate, crime syndicate
- underworld slangsnitch, rat out, hitman, capo, consigliere
- truckingsemi, 18-wheeler, trucks, truckers, big rig
- Crookscrook, swindler, fraudster, embezzler, con artist
- dominancedominance, dominant, supremacy, superiority, ascendancy
- Outlawsoutlaw, bandit, desperado, highwayman, robber
kingpinhenchman
Loyal criminal subordinate
foot soldier · grunt · errand boy · bagman · enforcer