administration: the upper-level power structure of an organized crime family, composed of the boss, underboss, and consigliere.

associate: an almost-there; someone who works with and for wiseguys, but who hasn't been sworn in as a member of the Family or a non-Italian.

babania: Heroin, as in dealing. Lucrative but risky for mob insiders because if they're busted, long prsion terms might compel them to cut a deal and rat.

babbo: a dope, idiot, useless underling.

beef: a complaint or disagreement within organization, usually discussed during a sit down with the higher level Family members.

big earner: someone who makes a LOT of money for the Family.

books, the: euphemism for membership in the Family, since nothing is written down. When there is availibility, the books are "opened". When no one is being "made" the books are "closed".

borgata: a crime Family; brugad

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; aka- don

Boss of Bosses; Capo di tutti capi: 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.

broken: demoted in rank; "knocked down"

brugad: a crime family; borgata

burn: to murder; aka- break an egg, clip, do a piece of work, hit, ice, pop, put out a contract on, whack.

button: a "made" member of the Mafia; soldier, wiseguy, goodfella, Man of Honor

cafone: a phony or embarrassment to himself or others; gavone

capo: ranking member of a Family who heads a crew of soldiers; a skipper

Capo di tutti capi: see Boss of bosses

chased: to be banished from the Mafia and barred from associating or doing business with any made members. The punishment is merciful in that the offender is spared death.

cleaning: taking the necessary steps (driving around, stopping in various locations) to avoid being followed.

clip: to murder; see burn

clock: to keep track of someone's movements and activities

comare: a Mafia mistress; goumada

come in: to go see the boss when summoned

Commission, the: the Mafia "ruling body", typically a panel made up of the bosses of the five NY families (Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Colombo, Bonanno) sometimes with representatives from other US families, such as Chicago.

compare: crony, close pal, buddy

consigliere: the counselor in a crime Family; advises boss and handles disputes within the ranks

contract: a murder assignment

Cosa Nostra: "This thing of ours"

crew: a group of soldiers that takes orders from a capo

cugine: a young toughguy looking to be made

do a piece of work: to murder; see burn

earner: someone whose expertise is making money for the Family

empty suit: someone with nothing to offer who tries to hang around with mobsters

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

gavone: see cafone

get a place ready: to find a burial site

gift: a bribe, sometimes for a juror, etc.

give a pass: to grant a reprieve from being whacked

going: about to be whacked

going south: stealing, passing money under the table, going on the lam

goombah, goomba, gumba: Sicilian slang for the Italian compare; goombata

goumada: see comare

hard-on with a suitcase: mob lawyer; feminine- half a hard-on with a suitcase

hot place: a location suspected of being target of law enforcement or surveillance

ice: to murder; see burn

joint, the: prison; aka- the can, the pen, go away to college

loanshark: someone who lends money at an exorbitant interest rate; a shylock

made: to be sworn into LCN; aka- "straightened out", to get your button

make a marriage: bring two parties together for legitimate or illegitimate Family issues.

mattresses, hitting the, taking to the: going to war with a rival Family or gang

meat eater: a corrupt cop (not exclusively mobspeak)

Moustache Petes: old fashioned or older generation Mafiosi

nut, the: "the bottom line"; gross profit figure

Omerta: the code of silence and one of the premier vows taken when being sworn into the Family. Violation is punishable by death.

off the record: an action taken without the knowledge or approval of the Family

on the record: an action sanctioned by the Family

piece: gun

pinched: arrested

pop: to murder; see burn

problem: a liability, someone likely to be whacked

rat: a member who violates Omerta; aka- squealer, canary, snitch, stool pigeon, yellow dog.

shylock: see loanshark

sit-down: a meeting with the Family administration to settle disputes

skim: tax-free gambling profits, money taken that is not reported to the IRS

skipper: a capo

stand-up guy: someone who refuses to rat out the Family no matter what the pressure- offer or threat.

swag: stolen goods

vig: interest payment on a loan from a loanshark; (vigorish); aka- juice

vouch for: to personally guarentee- with one's life- the reputation of someone dealing with the Family

walk talk, take a walk: to conduct a sensitive discussion while striding up and down the block to avoid being overheard on surveillance devices

whack: to murder

Young turks: younger, less traditional generation of Mafiosi. Less likely to live by the old rules

Zips: American Mafiosi's derogatory term for Sicilian Mafiosi.