etymology - What is the lost origin of hoodlum? - English Language . . . The Hoodlum Band's numerous petty thefts and Lazarus Moses' ability to sell stolen goods popularized the word hoodlum The arrest of Lazarus Moses, later convicted as being a fence for the gang, was reported in the Daily Alta California, 15 December 1866 edition
differences - Any nuances of meaning between ruffian, thug, hoodlum . . . There is some overlap in some categories but, in general: Ruffian – Currently, in its weaker form, = a rough or disreputable man or boy; thug – a man given to indiscriminate violence, often employed to administer violence; hoodlum – American English usually a lower member of an organised criminal gang; hooligan – a person given to
Is there a good alternative to the original meaning of the word thug . . . A cutthroat or ruffian; a hoodlum 2 also Thug One of a group of professional criminals, devotees of Kali, who robbed and murdered travelers in northern India until the mid-1800s (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition
vocabulary - English Language Usage Stack Exchange a hoodlum who collects money owed to a racketeer 'a 'juice man' (loan collector) for syndicate hoodlum bosses (1950s+ underworld)' Source: Dictionary com juice collector (slang): one who collects the money (juice) owed to a bookmaker or a loan shark Source: Wiki Books containing references to the above terms: The Black Book and the Mob
Etymology of punk? - English Language Usage Stack Exchange From the late 16th through the 18th century, punk was a common, coarse synonym for prostitute; William Shakespeare used it with that meaning in The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602) and Measure for Measure (1623) The term eventually came to describe "a young male hustler, a gangster, a hoodlum, or a ruffian"
punctuation - English Language Usage Stack Exchange The word “punctuation” derives from two ancient roots: “punc,” meaning “a hoodlum,” and “tuation,” meaning “desire to become ” (The etymology is false; it’s just a funny example taken from Comma sense: a fun-damental guide to punctuation, written by Richard Lederer and John Shore )
expressions - English Language Usage Stack Exchange : a usually petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian (Source: Merriam-Webster) For example: Villain: Hah, you've been punk'd! Victim: Very funny, punk Or: Wife: Who would smash our mailbox? Husband: Just some punks, don't worry about it @ChrisSunami points out that alternative definitions of punk allow it to be used to refer to the punk'd target