leg-breaker
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A violent thug, especially one employed as an enforcer by a criminal organization (e.g., a mafia, a loan shark).
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The thug was an acknowledged leg breaker, a shakedown artist, a peddler of violence.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “leg-breaker” mean?
A violent thug, especially one employed as an enforcer by a criminal organization (e.g., a mafia, a loan shark).
Is “leg-breaker” formal or informal?
leg-breaker is generally slang.