Five Families
Films & Television
Mafia Slang
Administration:The upper-level power structure of an organized crime Family, composed of the boss, underboss, and consigliere.
Associate:Someone who works with and for a family, but who hasn't been "made".
Beef: A complaint or disagreement within the organization, usually discussed during a sit-down with higher-ups in the Family
Big earner:Someone who makes a lot of money for the Family.
Books:The upper-level power structure of an organized crime Family, composed of the boss, underboss, and consigliere.
Administration:Euphemism for membership in the Family, since nothing is ever written down. When there is an availability (when someone dies), the books are "opened." When no one is being "made," the books are "closed."
Boss:The head of the crime Family; he is the only one who gives permission to "whack" or "make" someone, and he makes money from all Family operations.While no one proclaims himself the Boss of Bosses anymore, the press awards this title to whomever they feel is the boss of the strongest of the five Families of New York, who is also said to preside over Commission meetings.
Button: a "made" member of the Mafia.
Capo/Captain: Ranking member of a Family who heads a crew of soldiers.
Clip/Whack: To murder.
Commission:Typically a panel made up of the bosses of the five New York Families, Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Colombo, and Bonanno sometimes with representatives from other U.S. Families, such as Chicago.
Consigliere:The counselor/advisor in a crime Family; advises boss and handles disputes within the ranks.
Contract: a murder assignment.
Cosa Nostra: Italian for "this thing of ours," "our thing," a mob family, the Mafia.
Crew:a group of soldiers that takes orders from a capo.
Earner:Someone whose expertise is making money for the Family.
Enforcer:A person who threatens, maims, or kills someone who doesn't cooperate with Family rules or deals.
Fence: Someone with worldwide outlets to liquidate swag.
Friend of mine:Introduction of a third person who is not a member of the Family but who can be vouched for by a Family member. Friend of ours: Introduction of one made member to another.
Joint/Prison: The can, the pen.
Loanshark: Someone who lends mob money at an exorbitant interest rate; a shylock.
Made:To be sworn into La Cosa Nostra; synonyms: to be "straightened out," to get your button.
Mattresses: Going to war with a rival Family or gang.
Mustache Petes:Old-fashioned or older generation Mafiosi.
Omertà: The code of silence and one of the premier vows taken when being sworn into the Family. Violation is punishable by death.
Piece:A gun.
Pinched:Arrested.
Rat:A member who violates Omertà; synonyms: squealer, canary, snitch, stool pigeon, yellow dog.
Sit-down:a meeting with the Family administration to settle disputes.
Skim: Tax-free gambling profits, as in the money taken that is not reported to the IRS.
Stand-up guy:Someone who refuses to rat out the Family no matter what the pressure, offer, or threat.
Swag:Stolen goods.
Vig:The interest payment on a loan from a loanshark.
Vouch for:To personally guarantee -- with one's life -- the reputation of someone dealing with the Family.
Zips: American Mafiosi's derogatory term for Sicilian Mafiosi.