goombah

goombah

slang

1. A close, trusted friend. Typically used by or in reference to Italian Americans. Don't worry, you can speak freely in front of Al—he's my goombah. John, you're my goombah—would I lie to you? I thought you were my goombah. How could you betray me like this?

2. A low-level mafia member who uses or threatens violence as a means of coercion or enforcement; a mafia thug or enforcer. A couple of goombahs smashed up my restaurant when I refused to pay protection money. After Mr. Smith refused to pay the mafia the money he owed, they sent a few goombahs around to rough him up. I'm worried that if I don't put a security detail on our witness, some goombah will try to take her out before she can testify.

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

goombah

(ˈgumbɑ)

n. a buddy; a trusted friend. (Also a term of address. Ultimately from Italian.) He’s my goombah. I can trust him.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.