| 释义 |
frightener|ˈfraɪt(ə)nə(r)|
[f. frighten v. + -er1.]
One who or that which frightens; spec. a member of a criminal gang who intimidates the victims of its activities, esp. in phr. to put the frighteners in, on: to intimidate (slang).
1841P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 195 A bird frightener from Southampton. 1958F. Norman Bang to Rights i. 23 Spud Murphy gave him a very strong pull, and put the frighteners on him. 1962R. Cook Crust on its Uppers ii. 18 They were just slag punters and couldn't pay even when we put the frighteners in. 1962Daily Tel. 19 Dec. 15/6 Soho ‘frighteners’—gangsters who try to extort money from club owners—were told..at the Old Bailey..that they faced severe punishment. 1966A. Prior Operators vi. 64 His job had been to put the frighteners on various shopkeepers. Ibid., The other man and himself had got a quid a piece out of it, the traditional ten per cent always paid to the frighteners. 1971R. Busby Deadlock ix. 146 Some firm's trying to put the frighteners on, so I give him a bit of protection. |