hatchet-men

noun

a professional murderer.

a writer or speaker who specializes in defamatory attacks, as on political candidates or public officials.

a person whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior, as dismissing employees.

Also, hatch·et·man.

Also called axman.

Origin:
1745–55, Americanism

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins

World English Dictionary

hatchet man

—n
1.	a person carrying out unpleasant assignments for an employer or superior
2.	(US), (Canadian) a hired murderer
3.	a severe or malicious critic

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10

Hatchet-men is always a great word to know.

So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:

a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

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-Margaret Mead

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