Made Man Status
An idiom for establishing status, famously linked to proving one's worth in the criminal underworld.
The phrase 'made one's bones' refers to establishing achievement, status, or respect, functioning as an idiomatic equivalent of 'establishing one's bona fides.' While the term appears to have originated in the United States criminal underworld, it has since migrated to popular usage across various professions, including law enforcement, the legal field, and journalism.
Lore & Background
In organized-crime usage, the phrase 'making bones' refers specifically to establishing one's credibility by killing someone. This concept was popularized in the 1969 book The Godfather and its 1972 movie adaptation. This usage highlights the sinister roots of the idiom before it spread to other professional discussions.
Reader's Guide
Originally tied to the US underworld where it meant killing someone to prove credibility, it now appears in discussions about law enforcement and journalists establishing their bona fides. The 1969 book The Godfather and the 1972 film adaptation were pivotal in popularizing this specific definition. Characters like Sonny (who made his bones at age nineteen) and Moe Greene use the term to reference past violent acts that secured their standing. This usage remains distinct from its modern, less sinister applications.
Did You Know?
- The idiom 'make one's bones' is an American English equivalent of 'establishing one's bona fides.'
- Sonny Corleone claimed he made his bones at age twenty-one in The Godfather (1969 book/1972 movie).
More in Traditions & Code
Elsewhere in The Godfather
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