scoundreln.adj.
/ˈskaʊndrəl/ A. n.
a. ‘A mean rascal, a low petty villain’ (Johnson). Now usually with stronger sense: An audacious rascal, one destitute of all moral scruple.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > rogue > [noun]
harlot?c1225
truantc1290
shreward1297
boyc1300
lidderon13..
cokinc1330
pautenerc1330
bribera1387
bricouna1400
losarda1400
rascal?a1400
custronc1400
knapea1450
sloven?a1475
limmerc1485
knavatec1506
smaik?1507
smy?1507
koken?a1513
swinger1513
Cock Lorel?1518
pedlar's French1530
varletc1540
losthope?c1550
makeshift1554
wild rogue1567
miligant1568
rogue1568
crack-halter1573
rascallion1582
schelm1584
scoundrel1589
scaba1592
bezonian1592
slave1592
rampallion1593
Scanderbeg1601
roly-poly1602
canter1608
cantler1611
gue1612
fraudsman1613
Cathayana1616
crack-hempa1616
foiterer1616
tilt1620
picaro1622
picaroon1629
sheepmanc1640
rapscallion1648
scaramouch1677
fripon1691
trickster1711
shake-bag1794
sinner1809
cad1838
badmash1843
scattermouch1892
jazzbo1914
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun] > rogue, knave, or rascal
harlot?c1225
knavec1275
truantc1290
shreward1297
boinarda1300
boyc1300
lidderon13..
cokinc1330
pautenerc1330
bribera1387
bricouna1400
losarda1400
rascal?a1400
knapea1450
lotterela1450
limmerc1485
Tutivillus1498
knavatec1506
smy?1507
koken?a1513
swinger1513
Cock Lorel?1518
pedlar's French1530
cust1535
rabiator1535
varletc1540
Jack1548
kern1556
wild rogue1567
miligant1568
rogue1568
tutiviller1568
rascallion1582
schelm1584
scoundrel1589
rampallion1593
Scanderbeg1601
scroyle1602
canter1608
cantler1611
skelm1611
gue1612
Cathayana1616
foiterer1616
tilt1620
picaro1622
picaroon1629
sheepmanc1640
rapscallion1648
marrow1656
Algerine1671
scaramouch1677
fripon1691
shake-bag1794
badling1825
tiger1827
two-for-his-heels1837
ral1846
skeezicks1850
nut1882
gun1890
scattermouch1892
tug1896
natkhat1901
jazzbo1914
scutter1940
bar steward1945
hoor1965
1589 W. Warner Albions Eng. (new ed.) vi. xxxi. 137 Must I, thought I, giue aime to such a Skrub and such a Saint, That Skowndrell, and this Counterfeit.
1590 R. Harvey Plaine Percevall sig. D3v You see my quarter staffe, is it not a blesse begger, thinke you? A washing blow of this is as good as a Laundresse,..and must needs dry beate a skoundrell, if it be artificially managed.
1594 T. Lodge Wounds Ciuill War iv. G 3 Clown. Haue I master thou scondrell? I haue an Orator to my master.
1605 G. Chapman Al Fooles v. i. I 3 Your Mother..a lustie stoute Woman, bore great Children, you were the verie skundrell of am all.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) i. iii. 32 By this hand they are scoundrels and substractors that say so of him. View more context for this quotation
1623 J. Bingham tr. Xenophon Hist. 119 If you take away my life, you shall put an honest man to death for a cowards and a scoundrels sake.
1711 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 17 Nov. (1948) II. 414 I often advised the dissolution of that parliament, although I did not think the scoundrels had so much courage.
1734 A. Pope Ess. Man: Epist. IV 202 If your ancient but ignoble blood Has crept thro' Scoundrels ever since the Flood.
1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1775 I. 478 [Johnson:] Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
1834 R. Southey Doctor II. 172 When a woman is married for the sake of her fortune,..the chances are five hundred to one that she marries a villain, or at best a scoundrel.
1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xxx. 322 ‘They are great scoundrels,’ said Mr. Pickwick.
1876 Ld. Tennyson Harold iv. i. 102 My father, Who shook the Norman scoundrels off the throne.
1879 J. A. Froude Cæsar xv. 224 He saw these high~born scoundrels coming home loaded with treasure.
1883 R. L. Stevenson Treasure Island i. i. 8 If you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel!
b. attributive and appositive.
ΚΠ
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. i. ii. 16 Of a Jourdan Coup-tête, who has skulked thitherward,..and will raise whole scoundrel-regiments.
1850 T. Carlyle Latter-day Pamphlets ii. 9 [Model Prisons.] The ‘sympathy’ of visitors..for his interesting scoundrel-subjects..was evidently no joy to this practical mind. Pity, yes:—but pity for the scoundrel-species?
1894 H. Nisbet Bush Girl's Romance 120 This scoundrel-fool Shafton had been the cause of his misfortunes.
B. adj. Now rare.† 3. Of a thing: Base, degraded in character or type. Obsolete. rare.
1. Of a person: That is a scoundrel; having the characteristics of a scoundrel; scoundrelly. Of a company: Composed of scoundrels.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > [adjective]
pautenerc1330
palliard1484
limmer?a1513
limmerful?a1513
slovenly?1518
knavish1552
patchingc1555
rascal1566
roguing1566
knaifatic1568
roguish1572
rascally1586
land-loping1587
Scanderbegging1593
cullionly1608
rogorous1609
loseling1624
scoundrel1643
schelmish1654
pickled1683
rapscallionly1699
scoundrelish1705
rapscallion1711
pickle1774
scoundrelly1790
picaresque1822
furciferous1823
scapegrace1830
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > [adjective] > of a group
scoundrel1643
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [adjective]
pautenerc1330
palliard1484
varletc1485
knavisha1492
limmer?a1513
limmerful?a1513
briberous?1536
patchingc1555
rascal1566
roguing1566
roguish1575
arrant1581
skybala1585
rascally1586
land-loping1587
shag-ragc1590
Scanderbegging1593
Scanderbeg1601
rogorous1609
rogueya1627
scoundrel1643
schelmish1654
skelm1673
rapscallionly1699
rapscallion1711
scoundrelly1790
furciferous1823
scapegrace1830
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [adjective] > composed of scoundrels
scoundrel1643
1643 J. Milton Doctr. Divorce 24 We read, not that the scoundrel people, but the choisest, the wisest, the holiest of that nation have frequently us'd these laws.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Scab, a..Scoundril-Fellow.
1710 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 21 Dec. (1948) I. 133 I met that beast Ferris,..and that scoundrel dog is as happy as an emperor.
1715 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. (1901) V. 53 The Printer is that scoundrel Rascal Curle.
1744 J. Thomson Summer in Seasons (new ed.) 122 The cruel Wretch..has squander'd vile, Upon his scoundrel Train, what might have chear'd A drooping Family of modest Worth.
1807 G. Crabbe Parish Reg. iii, in Poems 125 We'll vex those Scoundrel-Boys.
1833 L. Ritchie Wanderings by Loire 187 The scoundrel governor..was the Duke of Montpensier.
2. Pertaining to or characteristic of a scoundrel. Of conduct: Mean, unprincipled.
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 > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [adjective] > specifically of actions, qualities, etc.
roguish1572
whelpish1586
rascally1587
loseling1624
scoundrel1681
scoundrelish1705
picaresque1822
1681 Dialogue Philautus & Timotheus iii. 5 Shouldest thou not in all justice and Conscience, instance something..that deserves..such scoundrel, Billings-gate Ribaldry..?
a1704 T. Brown tr. Beroaldus Declam. in Def. Gaming in 3rd Vol. Wks. (1708) i. 134 What..is there more scoundrel? What more beastly, than a Man depriv'd of his Manhood..by an Inundation of Claret?
1729 B. Mandeville Fable Bees ii. iii. 101 An Italian No-man of Scoundrel Extraction.
1731 G. Medley tr. P. Kolb Present State Cape Good-Hope I. 227 He [sc. the Hottentot dog] makes such a Scoundrel-Figure, that all his good Qualities together, are hardly a Ballance for it.
1738 J. Hildrop Let. Commandm. (ed. 4) 17 Stealing we all know is the most pitiful, scoundrel Act of Injustice.
1748 J. Thomson Castle of Indolence i. l ‘A penny savèd is a penny got’—Firm to this scoundrel maxim keepeth he.
1757 Bp. W. Warburton Lett. (1809) xciii. 218 He..died..here in England; but of so scoundrel a temper, that he avoided ever coming into my sight.
1766 R. Griffith & E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances III. 84 I am shocked at the mean, scoundrel, Behaviour of Mr. P——.
1850 W. M. Thackeray Pendennis II. xix. 187 Her parents..encouraged me, with all sorts of coarse artifices and scoundrel flatteries.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > condition of being held in contempt > [adjective] > contemptible
unworthc893
unwrastc893
littleOE
narrow-hearteda1200
wretcha1200
unworthya1240
wretchedc1250
un-i-wrastc1275
bad1276
lechera1300
feeblea1325
despisablea1340
villain1340
contemptiblec1384
lousyc1386
caitiff1393
brothelyc1400
roinousa1425
poor1425
sevenpennyc1475
nasty1477
peakish1519
filthy1533
despectuous1541
beggary1542
scald1542
shitten?1545
disdainfula1547
contemptuous1549
despicable1553
skit-brained?1553
contemniblea1555
vile1560
sluttish1561
queer1567
scornful1570
scallardc1575
tinkerly?1576
worthless1576
beggarly?1577
paltry1578
halfpenny1579
dog bolt1580
pitiful1582
sneaking1582
triobolar1585
wormisha1586
baddy1586
dudgeon1592
measled1596
packstaff1598
roguey1598
roguish1601
contemptful1608
grovelling1608
lightly1608
disdainable1611
purulent1611
snotty-nose1622
vilipendious1630
cittern-headed1638
wormy1640
pissabed1643
triobolary1644
disparageable1648
blue-bellied1652
unestimable1656
scullion1658
piteous1667
dirty1670
shabbed1674
shabby1679
snotty1681
snotty-nosed1682
mucky1683
bollocky1694
scoundrel1700
scaldeda1704
sneaking1703
ficulnean1716
unsolid1731
pitiable1753
scrubby1754
inimitable1798
scrubbish1798
worm-likea1807
small1824
lowlife1827
ketty1828
skunkish1831
yellow-bellied1833
scaly1843
cockroachya1845
wutless1853
nigger1859
trashy1862
low-down1872
cruddy1877
shitty1879
tinhorn1886
blithering1889
motherfucking1890
snidey1890
pilgarlicky1894
shitass1895
shoddy1918
yah boo1921
bitching1929
shit-faced1932
turdish1936
fricking1937
jerk-off1937
chickenshit1940
sheg-up1941
snot-nosed1941
jerky1944
mother-loving1948
scroungy1948
fecking1952
pissant1952
shit-kicking1953
shit-eating1956
bumboclaat1957
rassclaat1957
shit-headed1959
farkakte1960
shithouse1966
daggy1967
dipshit1968
scuzzy1969
bloodclaat1971
bitch ass1972
wanky1972
streelish1974
twatty1975
twattish1976
dweeby1988
douchey1991
wank1991
cockish1996
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > baseness > base thing or person > [adjective]
scald?a1534
base1576
scoundrel1700
1700 J. Astry tr. D. de Saavedra Fajardo Royal Politician II. 160 Trade was ruin'd by this troublesome, scoundrel Metal.
1727 A. Hamilton New Acct. E. Indies II. xxxviii. 75 Their Religion is also a Sort of scoundrel Mahometism.
Derivatives
ˈscoundrel v. transitive ? to treat as a scoundrel, to vilify.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > degrading or debasement > degrade [verb (transitive)]
vile1297
supplanta1382
to bring lowa1387
revilea1393
gradea1400
villain1412
abject?a1439
to-gradea1440
vilifyc1450
villainy1483
disparage1496
degradea1500
deject?1521
disgraduate1528
disgress1528
regrade1534
base1538
diminute1575
lessen1579
to turn down1581
to pitch (a person) over the bar?1593
disesteem1594
degender1596
unnoble1598
disrank1599
reduce1599
couch1602
disthrone1603
displume1606
unplume1621
disnoble1622
disworth?1623
villainize1623
unglory1626
ungraduate1633
disennoble1645
vilicate1646
degraduate1649
bemean1651
deplume1651
lower1653
cheapen1654
dethrone1659
diminish1667
scoundrel1701
sink1706
demean1715
abjectate1731
unglorifya1740
unmagnify1747
undignify1768
to take the shine out of (less frequently from, U.S. off)1819
dishero1838
misdemean1843
downgrade1892
demote1919
objectify1973
1701 W. Nicolson Let. 9 May in J. Evelyn Diary & Corr. (1906) 721 This being one of the matters wherein I am scoundreled by the late reply of Dr. Wake.
ˈscoundreldom n. the world of scoundrels, scoundrels collectively; also = scoundrelism n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > [noun]
truandise?c1225
lorelshipc1380
truantry1426
coquineryc1430
loselry1480
loonery?a1513
palliardrya1522
truanting1532
patchingc1535
foul play1546
patchery?1553
slavery1553
palliardy1568
smaikry1573
roguishness1579
rascality1582
roguery1594
scutchery1594
ropery1599
cullionry1611
scoundrelism1611
friponnerie1708
rascalism1837
scoundreldom1837
rascaldom1851
scoundrelship1856
rascalry1868
scallywaggery1897
scallywagism1897
scallywagging1915
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun]
truandise?c1225
lorelshipc1380
truantry1426
coquineryc1430
loselry1480
loonery?a1513
palliardrya1522
truanting1532
patchingc1535
patchery?1553
palliardy1568
roguishness1579
rascality1582
roguery1594
scutchery1594
ropery1599
scoundrelism1611
roguinga1625
friponnerie1708
rascalism1837
scoundreldom1837
scamphood1845
rascaldom1851
scoundrelship1856
rascalry1868
scallywaggery1897
scallywagism1897
scallywagging1915
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > rogue > [noun] > world of
roguedom1697
roguery1707
loselism1831
rascaldom1833
scoundreldom1837
scoundrelry1859
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun] > rogue, knave, or rascal > collectively
roguedom1697
roguery1707
loselism1831
rascaldom1833
scoundreldom1837
scoundrelry1859
1837 T. Carlyle Diamond Necklace xvi, in Fraser's Mag. Feb. 185/1 Let the eye of the mind..astound itself with the magnificent extent of Scoundreldom; the deep, I may say, unfathomable, significance of Scoundrelism.
1864 C. Kingsley Roman & Teuton iii. 68 All greedy villains and adventurers, the scoundreldom of the whole world.
1876 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. XII. lxix. 111 Either as an effect of looseness of life, or from inherent scoundreldom of temperament.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > [adjective]
pautenerc1330
palliard1484
limmer?a1513
limmerful?a1513
slovenly?1518
knavish1552
patchingc1555
rascal1566
roguing1566
knaifatic1568
roguish1572
rascally1586
land-loping1587
Scanderbegging1593
cullionly1608
rogorous1609
loseling1624
scoundrel1643
schelmish1654
pickled1683
rapscallionly1699
scoundrelish1705
rapscallion1711
pickle1774
scoundrelly1790
picaresque1822
furciferous1823
scapegrace1830
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [adjective] > specifically of actions, qualities, etc.
roguish1572
whelpish1586
rascally1587
loseling1624
scoundrel1681
scoundrelish1705
picaresque1822
1705 N. Rowe Biter i. i I being in somewhat scoundrelish, or, as your Honour calls it, scurvy Terms with him my self.
ˈscoundrelry n. scoundrels collectively.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > rogue > [noun] > world of
roguedom1697
roguery1707
loselism1831
rascaldom1833
scoundreldom1837
scoundrelry1859
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun] > rogue, knave, or rascal > collectively
roguedom1697
roguery1707
loselism1831
rascaldom1833
scoundreldom1837
scoundrelry1859
1859 G. A. Sala Twice round Clock (1861) 415 It is astonishing to find how much foreign riff-raff and alien scoundrelry will turn up at a masquerade.
ˈscoundrelship n. the behaviour of a scoundrel, scoundrelism.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > [noun]
truandise?c1225
lorelshipc1380
truantry1426
coquineryc1430
loselry1480
loonery?a1513
palliardrya1522
truanting1532
patchingc1535
foul play1546
patchery?1553
slavery1553
palliardy1568
smaikry1573
roguishness1579
rascality1582
roguery1594
scutchery1594
ropery1599
cullionry1611
scoundrelism1611
friponnerie1708
rascalism1837
scoundreldom1837
rascaldom1851
scoundrelship1856
rascalry1868
scallywaggery1897
scallywagism1897
scallywagging1915
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun]
truandise?c1225
lorelshipc1380
truantry1426
coquineryc1430
loselry1480
loonery?a1513
palliardrya1522
truanting1532
patchingc1535
patchery?1553
palliardy1568
roguishness1579
rascality1582
roguery1594
scutchery1594
ropery1599
scoundrelism1611
roguinga1625
friponnerie1708
rascalism1837
scoundreldom1837
scamphood1845
rascaldom1851
scoundrelship1856
rascalry1868
scallywaggery1897
scallywagism1897
scallywagging1915
1856 Chambers's Jrnl. 6 361 I was dirty and grim-looking enough to represent any amount of scoundrelship.
1864 Reader 23 Jan. 101/1 With such consummate scoundrelship in the foreground, one may be pretty sure..that there is no lack of incident.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.adj.1589