An old piece of American underworld slang for a serious criminal or hardened lawbreaker — someone who commits major crimes rather than petty offenses. The 'heavy' in the name suggests weight, gravity, and menace: this isn't a pickpocket, this is someone who robs banks or worse. The term was in circulation during the early 20th century and belongs to the rich vocabulary of American criminal and pulp fiction slang. Mostly historical today, but it still shows up in period dramas and crime writing.
The detective warned the rookie that the guy they were after was a heavy man, not some two-bit thief.
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(US, slang, dated) A lawbreaker or criminal.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.