public enemy number one

Definitions

1. 1

   A person who ranks highest on the federal government's prioritized list of wanted…

   A person who ranks highest on the federal government's prioritized list of wanted criminal fugitives.

   • John Dillinger, America's Public Enemy No. 1 and the most notorious criminal of recent times, was shot and killed at 10:40 o'clock tonight by Federal agents.
   • "Sure you never heard of him?" he asked incredulously. "Never," I said flatly. "You must have," he argued. "Why Hamilton was a Public Enemy No. 1 at one time."
2. 2

   A person, organization, or other object considered to be particularly menacing, harmful,…

   A person, organization, or other object considered to be particularly menacing, harmful, or loathsome.

   • The fact is that Reaganomics slowed down the breakneck economy and succeeded in defeating public enemy number one, runaway inflation.
   • The Isle of Man's public enemy number one—the rabbit—can breathe easier today. The price on its head, or tail, was revoked.
   • As sugar has become public enemy number one in the battle against obesity, many Americans have fed their sweet tooth with artificially sweetened diet drinks.

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