Dictionary

hoodlum en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈhuːdləm/
• /ˈhʊdləm/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

First attested in a December 1866 Daily Alta California article, which mentions "the 'Hoodlum Gang' of juvenile thieves". Several possible origins have been proposed. It may derive from a Germanic word like Swabian hudelum (“disorderly”) or Bavarian Haderlump (“ragamuffin”). Herbert Asbury's book The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld (1933, A. A. Knopf, New York) says the word originated in San Francisco from a particular street gang's call to unemployed Irishmen to "huddle 'em" (to beat up Chinese migrants), after which San Francisco newspapers took to calling street gangs "hoodlums".

Meanings

1. A gangster; a hired thug.
   • There is no question the MS-13 gang must be stopped. It is a vile organization of hoodlums with no regard for life. 2018 September 19, Lisa Ling, “How the US helped create Trump’s ‘violent animals’”, in CNN:
   • Caesar Enrico “Rico” Bandello is a hoodlum who rises swiftly in Chicago’s mob world, in the 1931 film “Little Caesar.” Played by Edward G. Robinson, Rico is tracked down by police and shot. 2023 August 20, Richard Galant, “Opinion: A powerful weapon for prosecutors is now in the hands of Fani Willis”, in CNN:
   • In Sam Mendes's excellent gangster movie Road to Perdition (2002), he tested the boundaries further playing a hitman – but while we know he's a killer, we never really see him go full-pelt hoodlum. 2021 February 9, Christina Newland, “Is Tom Hanks part of a dying breed of genuine movie stars?”, in BBC:
   • The state’s police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun told CNN in a statement that operatives arrested 11 armed “hoodlums” who set fire to a government building after looting it. 2024 August 1, Nimi Princewill and Stephanie Busari, “Violence erupts as Nigerians protest hunger across the nation”, in CNN:
   • When the hoodlums reach their headquarters... 1942 June 16, Jerry Siegel, “The Case of the Crimeless Crimes”, in Action Comics, volume 1, number 51, page 3:
2. A rough or violent youth.

Forms

Deriveds

hoodlumize · hoodlumry · hoodlumish

Synonyms

tearaway · hoodlum · breedbate · shit-stirrer · undesirable · criminal · crook · hoodlum · perpetrator · roly-poly · beggar · lowlife · boot boy · hoolie · hell-raiser · vandal · booger · bear · culprit · initiator · scofflaw · punk · yob · minx · lawbreaker · mischief-maker · rakeshame · malfeasant · rowdy · elf · public enemy · bad news · gadfly · rantipole · devil · scamp · committer · jackanapes · delinquent · kindle-coal · prankster · inciter · joker · pot stirrer · firebrand · scapegrace · scoundrel · double-dealer · kindle-fire · offender · jokester · wag · lout · brawler · rapscallion · brat · pixie · bad boy · miscreant · makebate · tough · undesirable · thug · bovver boy · titivil · buffoon · knave · shitmonger · puck · troublemaker · bugger · desperado · mischief · ne'er-do-well · instigator · wrangler · rogue · felon · cutup · ruffian · rascal · bhoy · hothead · hooligan · charva · yobbo · enfant terrible · rabble rouser · bully · imp · agitator · wagpastie · hood · hool · blackguard · outlaw · shit disturber · malefactor · practical joker

Translations (55)

hi गुंडा (a rough or violent youth) · ceb bugoy (a rough or violent youth) · ja 与太者 (a rough or violent youth) · ru банди́т (a gangster; a hired thug) · ru буя́н (a rough or violent youth) · es de gueto (a rough or violent youth) · cs grázl (a rough or violent youth) · ru го́пник (a rough or violent youth) · de Rowdy (a rough or violent youth) · fr voyou (a rough or violent youth) · de Bandit (a gangster; a hired thug) · de Ganove (a gangster; a hired thug) · es pandillero (a gangster; a hired thug) · st tsotsi (a gangster; a hired thug) · de Schläger (a gangster; a hired thug) · es quinqui (a rough or violent youth) · ru шпана (a rough or violent youth) · es merchero (a rough or violent youth) · fr bandit (a gangster; a hired thug) · cmn 歹徒 (a rough or violent youth) · cs násilník (a gangster; a hired thug) · es bandido (a gangster; a hired thug) · pt jagunço (a gangster; a hired thug) · bg хулига́н (a rough or violent youth) · pt marginal (a rough or violent youth) · fi hulttio (a rough or violent youth) · oc malfaràs (a rough or violent youth) · ru хулига́н (a rough or violent youth) · bg га́нгстер (a gangster; a hired thug) · pl bandyta (a gangster; a hired thug) · es quinquillero (a rough or violent youth) · mk банди́т (a gangster; a hired thug) · cs kriminálník (a gangster; a hired thug) · ru банди́тка (a gangster; a hired thug) · de Gangster (a gangster; a hired thug) · pl gangster (a gangster; a hired thug) · cmn 流氓 (a rough or violent youth) · de Ganove (a rough or violent youth) · af rampokker (a gangster; a hired thug) · fi gangsteri (a gangster; a hired thug) · cs gauner (a rough or violent youth) · ja チンピラ (a rough or violent youth) · mk хулига́н (a rough or violent youth) · oc gusàs (a rough or violent youth) · de Schlägertyp (a rough or violent youth) · de Halbstarker (a rough or violent youth) · es matón (a gangster; a hired thug) · la grassātor (a rough or violent youth) · cmn 阿飛 /阿飞 (a rough or violent youth) · mk банди́тка (a gangster; a hired thug) · la grassātor (a gangster; a hired thug) · es matón (a rough or violent youth) · oc sacamand (a rough or violent youth) · km យូកូង (a gangster; a hired thug) · cs gangster (a gangster; a hired thug)