hitman

/ˈhɪtmæn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhɪtmæn/ (ame, ipa)

hitman — 名詞

  • hitmansingular
  • hitmansplural

1. a man whose job is to kill people in exchange for money, usually working for a c

1.名詞C1
釋義

職業殺手

受雇殺人為業的人，多為犯罪組織服務

a man whose job is to kill people in exchange for money, usually working for a criminal group or a person who wants someone dead.

例句

The detective believed a hitman had been hired to kill the witness before the trial.

警探相信有人在審判前雇用了職業殺手要殺掉證人。

passive: a hitman + had been hired to + infinitive

Beatriz wrote a thriller about a retired hitman who refuses one last job in Lisbon.

Beatriz 寫了一本驚悚小說，主角是一名退休職業殺手，在里斯本拒絕接下最後一單任務。

common collocation: a retired hitman

同義詞
  • assassin

    more formal; often targets political or famous figures, not always for money

  • contract killer

    neutral descriptive term for someone paid to kill under an agreement

  • gunman

    anyone who attacks with a gun; not necessarily paid

文法句型

hire a hitman

send a hitman after someone

用法筆記

Strongly associated with organized crime and gangland killings; almost always male — a paid female killer is usually called an assassin, not a hitwoman.

常見錯誤

❌She works as a hitman for the police.
✅She works as an assassin / contract killer.
💡hitman refers only to a paid killer for criminals, not a legitimate state agent.

2. someone an organization or powerful person uses to handle harsh, unpleasant jobs

2.名詞C2
釋義

打手；爪牙

替組織或上司執行強硬、惹人厭差事的人

someone an organization or powerful person uses to handle harsh, unpleasant jobs — for example firing staff, attacking rivals in public, or pushing through painful decisions on their behalf.

例句

Every newsroom needs a hitman — the editor who tells reporters their favourite story has been cut.

每個新聞編輯室都需要一個打手，那種會直接告訴記者最喜歡的稿被砍掉的主編。

figurative use inside an organization

Ingrid was the CEO's hitman, sent in whenever an underperforming office needed to be shut down.

Ingrid 是執行長的打手，只要哪個分公司業績差，就被派去把它關掉。

collocation: the [boss]'s hitman

同義詞
  • hatchet man

    near-identical figurative sense; slightly more common in American business writing

  • enforcer

    broader; can apply literally (gang muscle) or figuratively (workplace bully)

  • attack dog

    highly informal; emphasises the public, aggressive nature of the role

文法句型

the company's hitman

act as a hitman for

用法筆記

Always figurative — distinguishes from sense 1 (a literal killer) by context (a workplace, political race, or company restructuring rather than a crime scene). Overlap with English 'hatchet man'.