(1894–1961), American novelist; full name Samuel Dashiell Hammett. His hard-boiled style of detective fiction is exemplified in works such as The Maltese Falcon (1930) and The Thin Man (1932).
Definition of Hammett, Dashiell in US English:
Hammett, Dashiell
proper nounˈhamət
(1894–1961), US novelist; full name Samuel Dashiell Hammett. He developed the hard-boiled style of detective fiction in works such as The Maltese Falcon (1930) and The Thin Man (1932), both of which were made into successful movies. He lived for many years with playwright Lillian Hellman; they were both persecuted for their left-wing views during the McCarthy era.