hooligans

Noun (1)

hooligan (plural hooligans)

1. (attributive, informal) A young person who causes trouble or violence, typically as a member of a gang or other group.
   • She also heard boys from other classes behind her talking: “So, Teacher Tang is a female hooligan.”2012, Tie Ning, The Bathing Women: A Novel

   Synonyms:

   agitator, bad boy, bad news, bear, beggar, bhoy, blackguard, booger, boot boy, bovver boy

2. (US, slang) A member of the United States Coast Guard.
   • Many professional Navy and Coast Guard men were inclined to scoff. What kind of Navy was this, and what did they think they were up to, anyway? This bunch of hooligans wouldn't be any good to anyone; wouldn't be worth the powder to blow 'em to hell. Hooligan's Navy.1944, Lawrance Roger Thompson, The Navy Hunts the CGR 3070, page 7

Noun (2)

hooligan (plural hooligan or hooligans)

1. A type of fish, an anadromous smelt, Thaleichthys pacificus, found in the North Pacific.
   • One year there was a strong wind. We couldn’t catch herring, but they were there. We caught lots of hooligans (smelt) and got through the year on those.1993, James H. Barker, quoting Larry John, “Smelt Running Season, Fish Hitting: Qusiirvik, Kaugun”, in Always Getting Ready: Upterrlainarluta: Yup’ik Eskimo Subsistence in Southwest Alaska, Seattle...

   Synonyms:

   eulachon, candlefish

See all 5 meanings of hooligan