firm n.
1. a criminal gang, large or small.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | (trans.) Adventures of Gil Blas (1822) II 173: His funds were limited [...] I therefore was the monied man of the firm: but then there was brass in his forehead for an inexhaustible coinage. | |
| Satirist (London) 8 Jan. 14/3: He sat down to Ecarté, with one of the ‘firm,’ to whom he lost within 801. of all he had before won. | |
| Paul Pry 20 Sept. 178/8: Mr. Waller rose from the table [...] minus 63l. He has since been informed [...] that he had been robbed by the firm introducing loaded dice, by which it was actually impossible he could win. | |
 | Causes of the Increase of Crime in NY 27: [A]t various times, the captain, on moving from one precinct to another, appears to have taken his ward man along with him, and the same firm has set up business in a new sphere of operations. | |
| Police! 221: The ‘firm’ – his own friends – keep filling up spaces. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Yarn of Bucko Mate 111: There was a big, swarthy villain among the players, who, I decided, was a member of the firm. | |
| Confessions of a Con Man 38: After monte had got in pretty bad repute, I became a member of the firm which rejuvenated it. | |
| Bulldog Drummond 108: Is he one of the firm? [...] His face seems familiar. | |
| Down Donkey Row 32: ‘The old firm,’ said he, ‘always there ter take yer com-commis-bets, and always ’ere to pay yer out.’. | |
| Fings II i: On the firm / A four quid perm. | |
| Crust on its Uppers 28: The poor old firm was going a bit unsteady. | |
| Sir, You Bastard 25: If a firm was at it, then they would obviously wait for him to pass by. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Doing Time 1289: firm: a group of criminals who work and do ‘jobs’ together. | |
| West in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 123: He can stand up West and join the firm of grievous / rape / robbery and death / solicitors to the realm. | |
| That Was Business, This Is Personal 3: [Armed robbers] had little to do with the old family ‘firms’ and little interest in owning clubs and casinos like the Krays. | |
| Layer Cake 6: To a lot of firms around London it’s the one thing they have in common is a mutual respect for Morty. | |
| Mystery Bay Blues 12: She’d been trawled up with a firm who all finished with big sentences. | |
| Jack of Jumps (2007) 272: Teddy Smith was on the Firm, and yet he wasn’t really of the Firm. | |
| Viva La Madness 59: He’s ringing it that it was his idea for Ted to get me back on the firm. |
2. a group of people.
| Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 21 Jan. n.p.: The Editor of the Whip or ‘One of the Firm’ cares no more about them than they do about the idle wind. | |
| Sporting Times 26 Jan. 1/3: Two of our young men drearily asking each other whether there was the price of a drink in the firm. | |
| Long Trick 23: They gave me six months’ full pay sick leave — not a bad old firm, the Admiralty. |
3. any form of gang, e.g. of football hooligans.
| Varmint 97: If you do us we’ll take you into the firm. | |
| diary 20 Oct. 🌐 We had some beer in a dixie and the steward found some bottles for our firm, who were always thirsty. | |
| Signs of Crime 183: Firm [...] humorously used to describe a particular squad of detective officers, especially a closely knit and comradely band. | |
| White Talk Black Talk 21: There were other ‘firms’ of youngsters who were not necessarily associated with any one pub. | |
| Awaydays 84: The back-up firm can’t like what they see, because they disappear. | |
| Outlaws (ms.) 8: Out jumps this little firm, hired in and that, tool-handed, proper mob and that. |
4. an influential group.
| Knuckle Sandwich 23: Long established local families [...] they were undoubtedly the ‘top firm’, at least in their part of the estate. |
In phrases
to charm, to please, to seduce.
| in Little Legs 71: I tried to chat her up but couldn’t get on the firm. |
(UK Und.) a group or gang that includes various different types of minor criminals, and even a few non-criminal types.
| Guardian G2 10 Aug. 24: A pick and mix concoction of lesser criminals, minor criminals and even a couple of straight goers. What we call an odd-mark firm. |
taking part, committed.
![[Scot]](/static/img/flags/sco.png "Scotland") | (con. 1980s) Skagboys 254: They got different customs arrangements for staff, and he got lads there that’s all on the firm. |