| 释义 |
scallywag, scallawag slang or colloq. (orig. U.S.).|ˈskælɪwæg, -əwæg|
Also 9 scal(l)i-, scala-, scallo-, skalle-.
[Origin obscure.]
1. A disreputable fellow; a good-for-nothing; a scapegrace, blackguard; in Trade Union slang, a man who will not work. Also attrib.
1848Bartlett Dict. Amer., Scalawag, a favorite epithet in western New York for a mean fellow; a scape-grace. 1855Haliburton Nature I. 112 You good-for-nothing young scallowag. 1885G. B. Shaw Let. 4 Sept. (1965) I. 138 Any socialist of the plentiful ‘scallawag’ type. 1893Leland Mem. II. 178 There are so many scallawags from the East come here, that we are obliged to be a little particular. 1891Labour Commission Gloss., Scalliwags, an opprobrious term, equal to scamp or villain, applied to men who will not work. 1926Glasgow Herald 10 Sept. 11 Go back to your scallywag union. 1957Listener 17 Oct. 608/2 Voyez, that rather scallywag wanderer who was dismissed by Wedgwood.
2. An impostor or intriguer, esp. in politics; in U.S. Hist., a native white of the southern states who was willing to accept the reconstructionary measures. Also attrib.
1862Charleston (S. Carolina) Mercury 9 Aug. 1/3 This invaluable class is composed..of ten parts of unadulterated Andy Johnson Union men, ten of good lord and good devil-ites, five of spuss and seventy-five of scallowags. 1864Sala in Daily Tel. 27 Sept., The councilmen too often belong to the comprehensive genus ‘scallywag’. They have intrigued and speechified, and stumped their ward. 1867Nation (N.Y.) 12 Dec. 470/1 The Macon News has to print in full the names of thirteen persons..described (as having ‘voted the Scalawag ticket’). 1879Tourgee Fool's Err. (1883) 111/25. 1885 Times (weekly ed.) 29 May 12 Our correspondent tells us that the new system [i.e. of Mental Healing] has not yet fallen into the hands of the ‘Scalawags’. 1886Forum Apr. 128 Then came the absurd process called Reconstruction, with its swarm of leeches, carpet-baggers and Scalawags. 1888J. Bryce Amer. Commonwealth II. ii. xliv. 164 A group of such ‘scallawag’ members..increase their legislative income.
3. U.S. A name for undersized or ill-conditioned cattle. (Perhaps the original use of the word.)
1854New York Tribune (Cattle Rep.) 24 Oct. (Cent. Dict.), The number of miserable ‘scallawags’ is so great that..they tend to drag down all above themselves to their own level. 1868Daily News 18 Sept., Wade Hampton explained the origin of the term..by saying that ‘scalawag’ was the name applied by drovers to lean and ill-favoured kine.
Hence scallyˈwaggery, (a) roguery, (b) political opportunism; ˈscallywagism = scallywaggery (a); ˈscallywagging vbl. n., ppl. a.
1897Daily News 9 Dec. 7/1 The stages of accumulating merit for the fighting man, as Lord Charles gives them, appear to be first robbing orchards, next hatred of a life at the desk, and finally scallywagism. Ibid., Robbing orchards and general scallywaggery is not within them [sc. disqualifications for military service]. 1911H. S. Harrison Queed iv. 45 The morning Post was an old paper... It had crucified carpet-baggism and scalawaggery upon a cross of burning adjective. 1915W. J. Locke Jaffery xii. 158 He was fed up with scalliwagging all over the place. He wanted a season in town! 1962Punch 9 May 735/1 Wilkes is worth writing about..for all his scallywaggery. 1977Times 18 Aug. 6/1 Mr. Frank Johnson..has unimpeachable credentials as a civil rights defender. Governor George Wallace of Alabama once denounced him as ‘a scallywaggin', integratin', carpet-baggin' liar’. scalmuse |