marked man
A man who is singled out or targeted for harm or retaliation of some kind. After Ed alerted the authorities about the corruption that took place within the company, he became a marked man. I wouldn't blow the whistle on what they're doing if I were you. You'll be a marked man—you won't ever get a job in this industry again.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*marked man
Fig. to be someone, usually a male, who is in danger from harm by someone else. (*Typically: be ~; live like ~.) Bob's a marked man. His parents found out that he's skipping school. Fred's a marked man, too. Jack is looking for him to get his money back.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
marked man, a
Also, marked woman. A person singled out as an object of suspicion, hostility, or vengeance. For example, As a witness to the robbery, he felt he was a marked man, or After her fiasco at the meeting, she was a marked woman-no one would hire her. This idiom was first recorded in 1833.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
a marked ˈman
a man who is in danger of being killed by his enemies: When they discovered he was a spy, he became a marked man.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017