释义 |
ˈmuscle man slang (orig. U.S.). Also muscle-man, muscleman. [f. muscle + man n.1] a. A person who employs or threatens violence on behalf of a professional criminal, or who commits crimes of violence without instigation. b. Used to denote a paragon of powerful physique. c. fig.
1929Hostetter & Beesley It's a Racket! 232 ‘Muscle Men’ are those who ‘muscle’ their way. 1931Times Lit. Suppl. 19 Feb. 125/1 O'Banion with the comment ‘To hell with the Sicilians!’ set his muscle-men moving. Ibid. 24 Sept. 728/3 Pinkerton's detectives were the most respectable of numerous bands of hired ‘muscle men’. 1932Sun (Baltimore) 23 Nov. 10/2 This country wants a frontal attack on the powerful citadel of muscle⁓men made rich by illegal beer. 1948Daily Mail 21 Jan. 2/5 Princess MacFarlane..makes presents of boots to all the poor children, touring from slum to slum in a fast black saloon packed with muscle-men. 1952S. Kaufmann Philanderer (1953) xiv. 235 The other kind was the muscle men. You know, right off the farm where they were lifting tractors with one hand. 1953W. Burroughs Junkie (1972) vii. 65 Bert was known as a muscleman. He was a heavy-set, round-faced, deceptively soft-looking young man who specialized in strong-arm routines and ‘shakes’. 1960Times Lit. Suppl. 27 May 333/3 St. Petersburg..was published..under the comparatively liberal tyranny of the Tsar and proscribed by Zhdanov, Stalin's literary muscle-man. 1962A. Huxley Island xiii. 206 Little muscle-men and muscle-women—children with tendencies towards aggressiveness and love of power. 1966‘C. Keith’ Elusive Epicure (1968) v. 76 If there is such a thing as a California type it's the big muscleman with a rather simple mind. 1968P. Oliver Screening Blues iv. 134 With the considerable returns accruing from operating policy wheels the racket came under the control of syndicates with muscle-men and hired gunmen ensuring that their ‘rights’ were protected. 1975Times 26 Sept. 10/3 Auditions for ‘the muscle man with a voice like a bird’ [sc. Tarzan] will start soon. |