hired gun

American  

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.

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hired gun Idioms  

1. 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.

2. 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]

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Etymology

Origin of hired gun

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Will Smith, one of the few homegrown talents on a team of hired guns, delivered the winning swing with his home run in the 11th.

From Los Angeles Times

All the while, musicians — some bandmates, others hired guns — filed in and out of four different studios, as he searched for perfection.

From Los Angeles Times

It's not clear how much of the pro-Depp clamor was seeded by his hired guns, but in the end, they were pushing on an open door.

From Salon

You might save yourself from a life filled with small-talk with hired guns who were trained to speak to you in short sentences.

From Salon

ProPublica traced Zolgensma’s journey from lab to market, from the supporters there at the beginning to the hired guns brought in at the end to construct a rationale for its unprecedented price.

From Salon