hatchet man
A male who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The company hired a hatchet man to fire the extra staff.”
“The CEO brought in a hatchet man to cut costs and lay off half the department.”
“Known throughout the industry as a ruthless hatchet man, he was tasked with dismantling the failing division and terminating the long-term employees.”
- 01
be a man
To put up with something or take responsibility for it; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.
- 02
be one's own man
To behave independently without the influence of others.
- 03
be the bigger man
To walk away from a conflict to prevent it from escalating.
- 04
boldly go where no man has gone before
To break new ground.
- 05
broken man
A man who has suffered significant and enduring emotional pain as a result of a highly unpleasant or traumatic event.
- 06
bury the hatchet
To cease fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.
- 07
every man has a price
Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.
- 08
faceless man
Someone who is not elected to political office, but exerts power over political affairs from behind the scenes.
Last updated August 10, 2026