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gunsel

gunsel

1 9.9
A young man who helps criminals and often carries a gun
  • noun
  • /ˈɡʌnsl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : esbirro
  • Every move he made after that—right up to the night Purvis and his badge-carrying gunsels got him at the Biograph—was a bad one.

Examples

  • His two gunsels, Sweet Eddy and Chun Woo are busy at the back of the room playing air hockey.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Let's give them the gunsel.

  • All right, gunsel, make it fast.

  • And another thing: Keep that gunsel out of my way while you decide.

  • I told that gunsel of yours you'd have to talk to me!

  • All we needed was to flush you and your gunsels out.

  • I had to hit that boy to show these gunsels who's boss.

  • If you were some cheap gunsel with a big name running out in front of ya, they'd all be buying you drinks, rubbing up against you, fixing up what they're gonna tell the kids and the ones who weren't there.

  • The Swede is flanked by his gunsels as he's served by a big blonde waitress in a classic peasant girl costume.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The gang's gunsel was always ready to carry out orders from the boss.

Synonyms

gun
vsgunsel
  • NSFW
7.5

A person who shoots, often a skilled or professional shooter

is usually younger and serves as an assistant rather than a pro shooter
gangster
vsgunsel
249 4.4

A person who is part of a group that does illegal things

is narrower meaning a young assistant rather than an organized criminal
gunman
vsgunsel
183 4.8

A person who uses a gun to hurt or kill others

is more about being a young helper rather than primary shooter
hoodlum
vsgunsel
  • Offensive
38 7.6

A young person who steals, fights, or causes trouble with a gang

is more about being a criminal helper or hired shooter than general youth crime
gangbanger
vsgunsel
  • Offensive
31 9.9

A person who joins a criminal gang and often takes part in violent acts

is focused on a young hired helper role rather than gang membership
mook
vsgunsel
  • Offensive
3 9.9

A low-level criminal hired to do violent or illegal jobs

is more specifically a young assistant often acting as a shooter
capper
vsgunsel
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who kills someone, usually with a gun

is used for a young assistant who may perform that shooting role

How Involved

hitman
  • NSFW
49 8.1
gunman
183 4.8
gunsel
  • Archaic
1 9.9
assistant
833 1.0
lookout
88 3.7

Surface Forms

gunsel singular
gunsels plural

Etymology

Gunsel was old gangster slang for a young man who worked as a criminal's helper or gunman. A helpful way to remember it is to see gun at the start, so a gunsel is someone tied to a 'gun' who does dangerous jobs for a boss.