| indisputable proof or evidence of a crime. |
| smoking gun n. Informal Something that serves as indisputable evidence or proof, especially of a crime: "There is no smoking gun or paper trail to [the CIA]" (Thomas Polgar). |
smoking gun
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Smoking Gun
Something that serves as indisputable evidence or proof, especially of a crime.
Investopedia Commentary
Here is an example used in everyday language from CNN.com on Feb 6, 2002:
"Maybe there was no proof before, but there is now a secret memo - personally handed to [U.S. Vice-President Dick] Cheney by Ken Lay [ex-Enron chairman and CEO], which helps explain why the White House is so skittish about Enron and why Cheney and [U.S. President George W.] Bush stubbornly refuse to release the records of those energy task force meetings. The memo was obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle and reported exclusively there last week. This is the Enron smoking gun."
Related Links
Handcuffs And Smoking Guns: The Criminal Elements Of Wall Street
See also: Bucket Shop, Churning, Circular Trading, Execution, Front Running, Guilt-Edged Investment, Money Laundering, Pump and Dump
smoking gun
Something that serves as indisputable evidence or proof, especially of a crime. For example, There is no smoking gun in the Oval Office; the President had no role in tampering with the evidence. This expression alludes to the smoke coming from a recently discharged firearm, a normal occurrence until the invention of smokeless powder. [Mid-1900s]