public enemy number one

Definitions

1. A person who ranks highest on the federal government's prioritized list of wanted criminal fugitives.
   US, dated, uncountable
2. A person, organization, or other object considered to be particularly menacing, harmful, or loathsome.
   figuratively, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“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."”

“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 The price on its head, or tail, was revoked.”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.”

““I wasn’t a researcher anymore, I was Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler,” Mr. Moreno said. “I have⟳ become⟳, in one week, Public Enemy No. 1.””

CEFR level