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Family Man
English
Part of Speech | IPA (RP): /ˈfæm.ɪ.li mæn/
IPA (GenAm): /ˈfæm.ə.li mæn/
Rhymes: -an
“An ironic disguise for illicit dealings.”
Definition:
A thief or a receiver of stolen goods; a person engaged in criminal activity, particularly theft or fencing, often as part of an organized network or “criminal family.”
Usage:
Primarily used in 18 to 19 century British criminal underworlds as coded slang to disguise illicit activity under the guise of respectability.
Etymology:
Ironic repurposing of the conventional term family man (that is, a respectable man devoted to his household), used sarcastically or euphemistically within thieves’ cant to describe someone operating outside the law.
Example (historical):
"Keep an eye on that one; he is a family man through and through. Always got something 'falling off a cart.'"
See Also: Thieves’ Cant | Fence (criminal) | Criminal slang