The Italian-American Mafia has a language of its own, according to Mafia historians and federal court records. Some of this Mafia lingo has entered popular usage, some may be new to you. If you have watched shows like the Sopranos, I am sure you have wondered what the real meaning was for some of these Italian mafia terms.
- Buttlegging: Bootlegging untaxed cigarettes.
- Capo: A Captain in the family.
- Cleaning: Covering your tracks to ensure that you’re not being followed.
- Clip: This means to eliminate someone.
- Clock: To keep a person under surveillance.
- Cugine: A young ambitious gangster who wants to climb the ranks of power.
- Double-decker coffin: A coffin, which has a secret lower compartment used to dispose of a victim.
- Enforcer: A member of the Family entrusted to ensuring fulfilment of deals by threats and if necessary killing.
- Fanabala: Italian-American dialect, morphed over the years from the phrase, "Va Fa Napoli" which literally mean, "go to Naples" but in the vernacular "go to hell".
- Fanook: Derived from "finocchio", a derogatory term for homosexual.
- Friend of mine: How a third party is introduced whom is not a member of the family but can be vouched for.
- Friend of ours: Introduction of one made member to another.
- Gabagool: Popularized by the Sopranos, Gabagool is slang for capicola, a thinly sliced Italian luncheon meat, taken from the shoulder (collo) and neck (capo - head) of a pig.
- Ice: This is yet another request for you to kill someone.
- Juice: The interest paid on a loan.
- Large: A grand, one thousand. "He owes me fifty large!" means ($50,000.00).
- Madonn': Madonna, common expression meaning holy smoke, holy cow, something said when surprised.
- Make a marriage: To bring two parties together to "do some business"
- Oobatz: Crazy.
- Omertá: The code of silence you have to swear when you join the Family.
- Piece: Gun
- Pinched: To be arrested.
- Rat: A member who violates the Omertá.
- Shylock: A person who lends money at an extortionate rate of interest.
- Skim: Money taken that is not reported to the IRS.
- Skipper: A Captain or Capo.
- Turban : "Give him a turban." Means to crack his head open.
- Vig: Italian Mafia lingo for the interest paid to a loan shark for a loan. Usually 2 points or 2%.
- Whack: To murder someone.
- Young Turk: Mob term for a young defiant Mafia member.
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