cracksman

[ kraks-muhn ]

noun

, Slang.

, plural cracks·men.

1. burglar; housebreaker.

cracksman

/ ˈkræksmən /

noun

1. slang.
   a burglar, esp a safe-breaker

Word History and Origins

Origin of cracksman¹

First recorded in 1805–15; crack + -s ³ + man

Example Sentences

After a series of remarkable events their trip ended with the capture of a society “cracksman,” known to the police as the “Boy Raffles.”

From Project Gutenberg

He had had on board escaping murderers, defaulting company promoters, fraudulent trustees, absconding cashiers, and a variety of other criminals from the "flash" cracksman to the common "lag".

From Project Gutenberg

But unless he happens to leave his name and address a cracksman working on a fair sized crib is never caught.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, suppose that a descent were made on the largest one of these safe depositories in America, the one under the New York Stock Exchange, and by a dozen first-class cracksmen.

From Project Gutenberg

With improvements in safes there has come a corresponding improvement in cracksmen’s methods.

From Project Gutenberg