hired gun

noun

Informal.

1. a person hired to kill someone, as a gunfighter or professional killer.

2. a person hired to bear arms and fight for another, as a bodyguard or mercenary.

3. a person, as a politician or lobbyist, skilled at attaining power for others.

4. a person hired to resolve difficult problems or disputes or to handle complex legal or business problems.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hired gun¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Idioms and Phrases

A person, especially a professional killer, employed to kill someone, as in They thought the murder had been done by a hired gun . The noun gun has been slang for a professional criminal since the mid-1800s.

A person with special knowledge or expertise who is employed to resolve a complex problem. For example, The legal team was looking for a hired gun to handle the antitrust angle of the case . [ Slang ; 1960s]