miscreantadj.n.

Brit.

/ˈmɪskrɪənt/, U.S.

/ˈmɪskriənt/

Forms: Middle English mescreant, Middle English mescreaun, Middle English mescreaunt, Middle English miscreawnt, Middle English misscreaunt, Middle English myscreawnt, Middle English–1500s miscreaunt, Middle English–1500s myscreant, Middle English–1500s myscreaunt, Middle English–1500s myscreaunte, Middle English– miscreant, late Middle English miscreaunce (plural, in a late copy), late Middle English miscreauncez (plural, probably transmission error), 1500s miscraeunt (probably transmission error), 1500s miscroyaunte, 1600s miscrean (perhaps transmission error), 1600s miscrent (perhaps transmission error).

Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymons: French mescreant, mescreire.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman mescreant, mescreaunt, Middle French mescreant (French mécréant ; 12th cent. in Old French as adjective in sense ‘heretical, unbelieving (in Christianity)’, 1665 in sense ‘unbelieving (in any religion)’, late 12th cent. as noun in sense ‘unbeliever’), uses as adjective and noun of present participle of Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French mescreire, Old French, Middle French mescroire (early 12th cent.; French mécroire ) < mes- mis- prefix² + creire , croire to believe (see creant adj.¹). Compare Old Occitan mescrezen (12th cent.), Occitan mescresent , Italian miscredente (13th cent). Compare later miscredent n. and adj.Senses A. 2 and B. 2 are apparently not paralleled in French. For instances of apparent confusion with this word see notes s.vv. miscreate adj. and n. and miscreated adj.; compare also the variant myscreaturys in quot. a1450 at sense B. 1a.

A. adj.

†1. Misbelieving, heretical; pagan, infidel. Obsolete (in later use archaic, frequently with overtones of sense A. 2).

ΘΚΠ

society > faith > aspects of faith > theism > paganism > [adjective]

heathenishc893

heathen971

misbelievedc1225

Barbarya1300

payenc1300

miscreantc1330

paynimc1330

uncircumcideda1382

uncircumciseda1400

gentilec1400

heathenly1415

paganismc1425

profanec1450

pagan1464

ethnical?a1475

payemec1480

miscredentc1500

heathenish1535

whorish1535

ethnic1542

ethnish1542

idolous1546

mammetrous1546

gentilish1550

idolatrous?1550

idololatrical1550

infidel1551

idolatrical1556

gentilical1573

paganical?1573

idolish1577

heatheny1580

irreligious1585

paganish1589

gentilic1603

idolaster1608

gentilitious1613

heathenous1613

idolatrizing1614

image-worshipping1621

misreligious1623

Mahounda1625

gentilizing1637

idololatrousa1641

infidelious1648

Baalitical1652

national1661

idolatric1669

paganic1676

gentilized1684

Baalish1690

idololatrica1711

infidelical1802

semi-fidel1834

Greekish1851

paganistic1853

unselect1882

goyish1888

c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) 5227 (MED) He smot in al þat route..Of mani paiem miscreaunt.

1421 in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 87 (MED) Sir John Oldcastell..was myscreant and unboxome to the lawe of God.

1532 T. More Confut. Barnes in Wks. (1557) 774/1 Al miscreant Painyms, all false Jewes, al false heretikes.

1562 G. Legh Accedens of Armory f. 26 b If he [sc. a Christian]..kill an heathen gentleman..he shall beare the armes..without any difference, sauing only y^e word of y^e same miscreant gentleman.

1633 T. Adams Comm. 2 Peter (iii. 4) 1178 All their [sc. Atheists'] virulent and miscreant positions shall perish with them in unquenchable flames.

1682 S. Speed Gigantomaxia 11 Bravely to Conquer, or to Dye, By hand of miscreant Heathen.

1715 N. Rowe Lady Jane Gray v, in Wks. (1728) III. 69 To break thro' all Engagements made with Hereticks, And keep no Faith with such a Miscreant Crew.

1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward II. vii. 167 Such a miscreant dog as this Boar of Ardennes, who is worse than a whole desert of Saracen heathens.

1844 T. B. Macaulay Misc. Writings (1889) 310 No outrage committed by the Catholic warrior on the miscreant enemy could deserve punishment.

1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake I. vi. 184 The gates of the pit were too narrow for their miscreant souls.

1882 Harper's Mag. Mar. 510/1 The miscreant pagans fiercely ride amain.

2. Depraved, villainous; (in weakened sense) badly behaved, reprobate.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > baseness > [adjective]

theowlikec1175

wickc1175

wretcha1200

lechera1300

vilea1300

feeblea1325

brothely1330

caitiffa1400

roinousa1425

basec1450

harlotry1486

filthy1533

brockish1546

vild1568

tinkerly?1576

scabbed?1577

miscreant1593

unnoble1593

slavish1597

rascally1600

roguish1601

sordidous1602

facinoriousa1616

scullion1658

dirty1670

shabbed1674

shabby1679

scoundrel1681

scabby1712

verminating1720

small1824

low-down1865

verminiferous1895

ragtime1917

ribby1936

raunchy1937

scungy1966

society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective] > extremely wicked > villainous

villain1340

villains1390

glutton1532

villainous1570

miscreant1593

miscreantic1793

1593 G. Harvey Pierces Supererogation 176 The Ring leader of the corruptest bawdes, and miscreantest rakehells in Italy.

1660 W. Chamberlayne Englands Iubile 4 Such miscreant wretches, as dare still offend.

1691 J. Dryden King Arthur iii. 23 Thou miscreant Elf, thou Renegade Scout.

1726 A. Pope tr. Homer Odyssey IV. xvii. 667 All the miscreant race of humankind.

1793 A. Young Example of France (ed. 3) 157 The red hot Maratism of the miscreant Society.

1818 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 33 381 The miscreant ministers and judges and spies who had been the abettors of that tyrant House.

1850 ‘S. Yendys’ Roman i. 15 That..sneaks downcast With craven tail and miscreant trepidation To kennel and to collar.

1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 344 One of those miscreant boys was a runaway from a Fan village.

1975 J. Hersey George Van Santvoord in Life Sketches (1991) 5 This austere personage..had to cope with the tidal energies of three hundred and fifty mostly miscreant students.

1993 D. C. Reece Rich Broth iv. 21 The Senior Proctor, a faculty member burdened with the task of laying hands on miscreant undergraduates.

B. n.

a. An unbeliever; a heretic, infidel. In later use archaic, with overtones of sense A. 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > faith > aspects of faith > theism > paganism > [noun] > person

heathenc1000

Saracenc1250

payenc1275

paynimc1300

wanbody1303

payemec1330

idolaterc1380

gentilea1382

idolasterc1386

miscreantc1400

mammeter?a1425

paganc1440

infidel1470

ethnic?a1475

image server1531

serve-image1531

heathenista1556

image-worshipper1563

Kaffir1577

giaour1589

Baalista1603

idolant1605

idolatress1613

idolist1614

idololatera1641

iconolater1654

Baalite1656

iconodulist1716

irreligionista1779

neopagan1868

iconodule1893

witch1958

c1400 J. Gower Eng. Wks. (1901) II. l. 2862 (MED) The two defaltes bringen in the thridde; Of mescreantz..now aldai thei finde an open gate.

?c1430 (?1383) J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 303 A litel covent of Sathanas synagoge, þat ben moche worse þan heþene myscreauntis.

a1450 (?c1400) Three Kings Cologne (Royal) (1886) 3 (MED) Þes iij kynges..of myscreauntys [v.rr. myscreantez; misscreauntis gentiles, myscreaturys, myscredentis] were þe first bileuyng men.

1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) xxi. xiii. sig. eev^v These foure knyghtes dyd many bataylles vpon the myscreantes or turkes.

1550 J. Coke Deb. Heraldes Eng. & Fraunce sig. Dij^v Alured kynge of Englande..fought agaynst the Danes and other myscreantes .lvi. battayles.

1554 T. Martin Traictise Marriage of Priestes sig. Bbiii^v If the vnbeleuer or miscroyaunte dooe departe, let him departe.

1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxiii. 151 We are not therefore ashamed of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ because miscreants in skorne haue vpbraided vs.

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. x. 477 A blasphemous miscreant, against their Pope, their Lady, and their Church.

1668 M. Casaubon Of Credulity & Incred. (1670) 81 Enough to make any miscreant, (professing outwardly Christianity) to blush.

1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 343 With a Caravan of Miscreants, as he call'd them, that is to say, Christians.

1788 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall VI. lviii. 42 [Soliman's] generosity to the miscreants was interpreted as treason to the Christian cause.

1840 T. De Quincey On Essenes: Pt. II in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Apr. 469/1 Now he [sc. Josephus] will reveal himself (in the literal sense of the word) as a miscreant.

1873 W. H. Dixon Hist. Two Queens IV. xix. v. 27 A miscreant who had raised his impious hands against the Vicar of Christ.

1915 W. S. Maugham Of Human Bondage xxviii. 119 If the chance [of learning the truth] had been theirs and they had neglected it (in which category were..Roman Catholics and Dissenters), the punishment was sure and merited... The miscreant was in a parlous state.

†b. In extended use: a doubter, sceptic. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > [noun] > one who doubts

doubtful1589

doubter1603

sceptica1618

ducker1620

miscreant1660

hummer1820

dubitant1821

don't know1839

hesitater1853

persuadend1865

don't knowist1908

undecided1968

1660 F. Brooke tr. V. Le Blanc World Surveyed 17 I know many miscreants, that doubt whether the world hath such a beast [sc. a unicorn].

a1681 G. Wharton Wks. (1683) 45 There..ever have been some Hereticks and Miscreants, who rail..against Astrology.

2. A villain, scoundrel; a rebel, criminal, or felon. Now frequently in weakened sense: a minor offender, reprobate.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > wretchedness > wretch > [noun]

argha1275

mixa1300

caitiffc1325

crachouna1400

crathona1400

wretcheda1425

fouling?a1475

meschant1490

miscredent?a1500

ketterela1572

miscreant1590

scroyle1602

frummer1659

fustya1732

ramscallion1734

society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun] > wicked person > villain

geringc1290

thief1297

villain1303

gerardc1350

meschant1490

miscredent?a1500

miscreant1590

villainist1596

viliaco1600

villagio1820

badman1855

meanie1932

baddie1934

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. vi. sig. R7 Vile Miscreaunt (said he) whether dost thou flye The shame and death, which will thee soone inuade?

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II i. i. 39 Thou art a traitour and a miscreant .

c1632 W. Mountfort Launching of Mary (1933) iv. iv. 104 Such miscreantes as seeke the Conquest of her Chastitie?

a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1657 (1955) III. 204 These wretched miscreants, held their muskets against us as we came up to receive the Sacred Elements.

1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 101. ⁋1 These Miscreants are a Set of Wretches we Authors call Pirates.

1835 E. Bulwer-Lytton Rienzi I. i. iii. 43 He belongs to a horrible gang of miscreants, sworn against all order and peace.

1843 J. Bentham tr. P. E. L. Dumont in Introd. Princ. Morals & Legisl. xiii, in Wks. I. 76/2 The miscreant who would commit murder that he might succeed to an inheritance.

1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirlaugh III. 251 The miscreant, fully armed, set out on his errand of blood.

1886 Science 24 Sept. 287 Every unfortunate or miscreant who has once ‘served time’.

1937 D. L. Sayers Busman's Honeymoon xi. 235 Sergeant Jakes had..tracked down and brought to book the miscreant who had improperly rung the fire-alarm.

1971 Sunday Times 13 June 13/4 They [sc. the officers] moved in..with the freedom to comb-out and destroy Hindus and ‘miscreants’.

1997 Wantage & Grove Herald 1 May (The Beat Suppl.) 6/2 This is where the Neighbourhood Watch can and does come in..and the miscreants can never know if and when they are under observation.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	miscreant
释义	miscreantadj.n. Brit. /ˈmɪskrɪənt/, U.S. /ˈmɪskriənt/ Forms: Middle English mescreant, Middle English mescreaun, Middle English mescreaunt, Middle English miscreawnt, Middle English misscreaunt, Middle English myscreawnt, Middle English–1500s miscreaunt, Middle English–1500s myscreant, Middle English–1500s myscreaunt, Middle English–1500s myscreaunte, Middle English– miscreant, late Middle English miscreaunce (plural, in a late copy), late Middle English miscreauncez (plural, probably transmission error), 1500s miscraeunt (probably transmission error), 1500s miscroyaunte, 1600s miscrean (perhaps transmission error), 1600s miscrent (perhaps transmission error). Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymons: French mescreant, mescreire. Etymology: < Anglo-Norman mescreant, mescreaunt, Middle French mescreant (French mécréant ; 12th cent. in Old French as adjective in sense ‘heretical, unbelieving (in Christianity)’, 1665 in sense ‘unbelieving (in any religion)’, late 12th cent. as noun in sense ‘unbeliever’), uses as adjective and noun of present participle of Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French mescreire, Old French, Middle French mescroire (early 12th cent.; French mécroire ) < mes- mis- prefix² + creire , croire to believe (see creant adj.¹). Compare Old Occitan mescrezen (12th cent.), Occitan mescresent , Italian miscredente (13th cent). Compare later miscredent n. and adj.Senses A. 2 and B. 2 are apparently not paralleled in French. For instances of apparent confusion with this word see notes s.vv. miscreate adj. and n. and miscreated adj.; compare also the variant myscreaturys in quot. a1450 at sense B. 1a. A. adj. †1. Misbelieving, heretical; pagan, infidel. Obsolete (in later use archaic, frequently with overtones of sense A. 2). ΘΚΠ society > faith > aspects of faith > theism > paganism > [adjective] heathenishc893 heathen971 misbelievedc1225 Barbarya1300 payenc1300 miscreantc1330 paynimc1330 uncircumcideda1382 uncircumciseda1400 gentilec1400 heathenly1415 paganismc1425 profanec1450 pagan1464 ethnical?a1475 payemec1480 miscredentc1500 heathenish1535 whorish1535 ethnic1542 ethnish1542 idolous1546 mammetrous1546 gentilish1550 idolatrous?1550 idololatrical1550 infidel1551 idolatrical1556 gentilical1573 paganical?1573 idolish1577 heatheny1580 irreligious1585 paganish1589 gentilic1603 idolaster1608 gentilitious1613 heathenous1613 idolatrizing1614 image-worshipping1621 misreligious1623 Mahounda1625 gentilizing1637 idololatrousa1641 infidelious1648 Baalitical1652 national1661 idolatric1669 paganic1676 gentilized1684 Baalish1690 idololatrica1711 infidelical1802 semi-fidel1834 Greekish1851 paganistic1853 unselect1882 goyish1888 c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) 5227 (MED) He smot in al þat route..Of mani paiem miscreaunt. 1421 in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 87 (MED) Sir John Oldcastell..was myscreant and unboxome to the lawe of God. 1532 T. More Confut. Barnes in Wks. (1557) 774/1 Al miscreant Painyms, all false Jewes, al false heretikes. 1562 G. Legh Accedens of Armory f. 26 b If he [sc. a Christian]..kill an heathen gentleman..he shall beare the armes..without any difference, sauing only y^e word of y^e same miscreant gentleman. 1633 T. Adams Comm. 2 Peter (iii. 4) 1178 All their [sc. Atheists'] virulent and miscreant positions shall perish with them in unquenchable flames. 1682 S. Speed Gigantomaxia 11 Bravely to Conquer, or to Dye, By hand of miscreant Heathen. 1715 N. Rowe Lady Jane Gray v, in Wks. (1728) III. 69 To break thro' all Engagements made with Hereticks, And keep no Faith with such a Miscreant Crew. 1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward II. vii. 167 Such a miscreant dog as this Boar of Ardennes, who is worse than a whole desert of Saracen heathens. 1844 T. B. Macaulay Misc. Writings (1889) 310 No outrage committed by the Catholic warrior on the miscreant enemy could deserve punishment. 1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake I. vi. 184 The gates of the pit were too narrow for their miscreant souls. 1882 Harper's Mag. Mar. 510/1 The miscreant pagans fiercely ride amain. 2. Depraved, villainous; (in weakened sense) badly behaved, reprobate. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > baseness > [adjective] theowlikec1175 wickc1175 wretcha1200 lechera1300 vilea1300 feeblea1325 brothely1330 caitiffa1400 roinousa1425 basec1450 harlotry1486 filthy1533 brockish1546 vild1568 tinkerly?1576 scabbed?1577 miscreant1593 unnoble1593 slavish1597 rascally1600 roguish1601 sordidous1602 facinoriousa1616 scullion1658 dirty1670 shabbed1674 shabby1679 scoundrel1681 scabby1712 verminating1720 small1824 low-down1865 verminiferous1895 ragtime1917 ribby1936 raunchy1937 scungy1966 society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective] > extremely wicked > villainous villain1340 villains1390 glutton1532 villainous1570 miscreant1593 miscreantic1793 1593 G. Harvey Pierces Supererogation 176 The Ring leader of the corruptest bawdes, and miscreantest rakehells in Italy. 1660 W. Chamberlayne Englands Iubile 4 Such miscreant wretches, as dare still offend. 1691 J. Dryden King Arthur iii. 23 Thou miscreant Elf, thou Renegade Scout. 1726 A. Pope tr. Homer Odyssey IV. xvii. 667 All the miscreant race of humankind. 1793 A. Young Example of France (ed. 3) 157 The red hot Maratism of the miscreant Society. 1818 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 33 381 The miscreant ministers and judges and spies who had been the abettors of that tyrant House. 1850 ‘S. Yendys’ Roman i. 15 That..sneaks downcast With craven tail and miscreant trepidation To kennel and to collar. 1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 344 One of those miscreant boys was a runaway from a Fan village. 1975 J. Hersey George Van Santvoord in Life Sketches (1991) 5 This austere personage..had to cope with the tidal energies of three hundred and fifty mostly miscreant students. 1993 D. C. Reece Rich Broth iv. 21 The Senior Proctor, a faculty member burdened with the task of laying hands on miscreant undergraduates. B. n. 1. a. An unbeliever; a heretic, infidel. In later use archaic, with overtones of sense A. 2. ΘΚΠ society > faith > aspects of faith > theism > paganism > [noun] > person heathenc1000 Saracenc1250 payenc1275 paynimc1300 wanbody1303 payemec1330 idolaterc1380 gentilea1382 idolasterc1386 miscreantc1400 mammeter?a1425 paganc1440 infidel1470 ethnic?a1475 image server1531 serve-image1531 heathenista1556 image-worshipper1563 Kaffir1577 giaour1589 Baalista1603 idolant1605 idolatress1613 idolist1614 idololatera1641 iconolater1654 Baalite1656 iconodulist1716 irreligionista1779 neopagan1868 iconodule1893 witch1958 c1400 J. Gower Eng. Wks. (1901) II. l. 2862 (MED) The two defaltes bringen in the thridde; Of mescreantz..now aldai thei finde an open gate. ?c1430 (?1383) J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 303 A litel covent of Sathanas synagoge, þat ben moche worse þan heþene myscreauntis. a1450 (?c1400) Three Kings Cologne (Royal) (1886) 3 (MED) Þes iij kynges..of myscreauntys [v.rr. myscreantez; misscreauntis gentiles, myscreaturys, myscredentis] were þe first bileuyng men. 1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) xxi. xiii. sig. eev^v These foure knyghtes dyd many bataylles vpon the myscreantes or turkes. 1550 J. Coke Deb. Heraldes Eng. & Fraunce sig. Dij^v Alured kynge of Englande..fought agaynst the Danes and other myscreantes .lvi. battayles. 1554 T. Martin Traictise Marriage of Priestes sig. Bbiii^v If the vnbeleuer or miscroyaunte dooe departe, let him departe. 1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxiii. 151 We are not therefore ashamed of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ because miscreants in skorne haue vpbraided vs. 1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. x. 477 A blasphemous miscreant, against their Pope, their Lady, and their Church. 1668 M. Casaubon Of Credulity & Incred. (1670) 81 Enough to make any miscreant, (professing outwardly Christianity) to blush. 1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 343 With a Caravan of Miscreants, as he call'd them, that is to say, Christians. 1788 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall VI. lviii. 42 [Soliman's] generosity to the miscreants was interpreted as treason to the Christian cause. 1840 T. De Quincey On Essenes: Pt. II in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Apr. 469/1 Now he [sc. Josephus] will reveal himself (in the literal sense of the word) as a miscreant. 1873 W. H. Dixon Hist. Two Queens IV. xix. v. 27 A miscreant who had raised his impious hands against the Vicar of Christ. 1915 W. S. Maugham Of Human Bondage xxviii. 119 If the chance [of learning the truth] had been theirs and they had neglected it (in which category were..Roman Catholics and Dissenters), the punishment was sure and merited... The miscreant was in a parlous state. †b. In extended use: a doubter, sceptic. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > [noun] > one who doubts doubtful1589 doubter1603 sceptica1618 ducker1620 miscreant1660 hummer1820 dubitant1821 don't know1839 hesitater1853 persuadend1865 don't knowist1908 undecided1968 1660 F. Brooke tr. V. Le Blanc World Surveyed 17 I know many miscreants, that doubt whether the world hath such a beast [sc. a unicorn]. a1681 G. Wharton Wks. (1683) 45 There..ever have been some Hereticks and Miscreants, who rail..against Astrology. 2. A villain, scoundrel; a rebel, criminal, or felon. Now frequently in weakened sense: a minor offender, reprobate. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > wretchedness > wretch > [noun] argha1275 mixa1300 caitiffc1325 crachouna1400 crathona1400 wretcheda1425 fouling?a1475 meschant1490 miscredent?a1500 ketterela1572 miscreant1590 scroyle1602 frummer1659 fustya1732 ramscallion1734 society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun] > wicked person > villain geringc1290 thief1297 villain1303 gerardc1350 meschant1490 miscredent?a1500 miscreant1590 villainist1596 viliaco1600 villagio1820 badman1855 meanie1932 baddie1934 1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. vi. sig. R7 Vile Miscreaunt (said he) whether dost thou flye The shame and death, which will thee soone inuade? 1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II i. i. 39 Thou art a traitour and a miscreant . View more context for this quotation c1632 W. Mountfort Launching of Mary (1933) iv. iv. 104 Such miscreantes as seeke the Conquest of her Chastitie? a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1657 (1955) III. 204 These wretched miscreants, held their muskets against us as we came up to receive the Sacred Elements. 1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 101. ⁋1 These Miscreants are a Set of Wretches we Authors call Pirates. 1835 E. Bulwer-Lytton Rienzi I. i. iii. 43 He belongs to a horrible gang of miscreants, sworn against all order and peace. 1843 J. Bentham tr. P. E. L. Dumont in Introd. Princ. Morals & Legisl. xiii, in Wks. I. 76/2 The miscreant who would commit murder that he might succeed to an inheritance. 1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirlaugh III. 251 The miscreant, fully armed, set out on his errand of blood. 1886 Science 24 Sept. 287 Every unfortunate or miscreant who has once ‘served time’. 1937 D. L. Sayers Busman's Honeymoon xi. 235 Sergeant Jakes had..tracked down and brought to book the miscreant who had improperly rung the fire-alarm. 1971 Sunday Times 13 June 13/4 They [sc. the officers] moved in..with the freedom to comb-out and destroy Hindus and ‘miscreants’. 1997 Wantage & Grove Herald 1 May (The Beat Suppl.) 6/2 This is where the Neighbourhood Watch can and does come in..and the miscreants can never know if and when they are under observation. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.n.c1330
随便看	unfriends unfriendship unfright unfrighted unfrightened unfrightenedness unfrightful unfringed unfrisky unfrith unfrizzled unfrock unfrocked unfrockify unfrocking unfrocks unfronted unfrost unfrosted unfrowardly unfrowning unfroze unfrozen unfructed unfructify