We uncover the criminal history of “gangbusters”

Welcome back to Pop Lexicon, The A.V. Club’s series with Kory Stamper, Merriam-Webster lexicographer and editor, where she reveals the origins of America’s favorite colloquialisms. In this video, Kory reveals the criminal history of “gangbusters,” a word first used in the early 20th century in reference to cops whose job it was to literally bust gangs.