wet one's beak
Claim one's share
To wet one's beak is to take a share of profits, especially through extortion or corruption.
The phrase evokes a bird dipping into someone else's drink.
It gained wide recognition through *The Godfather*, where it describes the Mafia practice of demanding payment from businesses operating in one's territory: The local boss expected every shop owner to let him wet his beak.
Illegal payment for services
- payoffCulminating benefit received
- cutSeverance or reduction
- tributeOffering of respect
- protection moneyPayment extracted through threats
graft · hush money · palm greasing · under the table · shakedown · extortion · corruption · skim
Severance or reduction
- sharePortion given out
- percentageProportion out of hundred
- commissionPayment for services rendered
- piece of the actionShare of profits gained
slice · take · skim · earnings · dividends · stake · proceeds · portion
kickback
Illegal payment for services
protection money · graft · hush money · palm greasing · under the table · shakedown · extortion · corruption · skim · squeeze
cut
Severance or reduction
- sharePortion given out
- percentageProportion out of hundred
- commissionPayment for services rendered
piece of the action · slice · take · skim · earnings · dividends · stake · proceeds · portion · taste
wet one's beakcontribute
Give to a collective
pay tribute · give freely · donate · grease someone's palm · kick up
wets, wetted, wetting, wetter, wettest, wetness, ones, beak, beaks