modus operandi

Definitions

1. A person or thing's normal mode of operation.
   colloquial
2. A known criminal's established habits and mode of work when committing specific offences, especially fraud, matched with characteristics of an unsolved crime to narrow down (limit to a specific list) or profile suspects.

Equivalents

Examples

“Failing that, if contact⟳ was absolutely necessary, a series of thumb jabs to the nerve cluster at the base⟳ of the neck would be his chosen modus operandi—quiet as a whisper⟳.”

“Where is it? What does SCP-3125 look⟳ like⟳? Its motivation, its origins, its modus operandi— how much of that can be known? Does it have⟳ to be known, to solve⟳ the problem? Does it matter⟳ how intelligent the intelligence is, once it's inside the box, once it's checkmated?”

CEFR level