scallywag
a badly behaving but likable person
TRANSLATION
scallywag = der Lausbub, der Taugenichts --- GOOGLE INDEX scallywag: approximately 1,300,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
He also shared Native American myths and stories about the immigrants, cowboys and SCALLYWAGS who populated California's Big Sur in the early days.
(The Los Angeles Times)
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A 63-YEAR-OLD Dublin man and his SCALLYWAG twin sons have repaid the State after their involvement in social benefits fraud worth almost €25,000.
(The Independent)
(The Los Angeles Times)
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A 63-YEAR-OLD Dublin man and his SCALLYWAG twin sons have repaid the State after their involvement in social benefits fraud worth almost €25,000.
(The Independent)
Did you
know?
scallywag
noun
- someone who has behaved badly but who is still liked
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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The expression "scallywag" and its various spellings (scallawag, scalawag) were first recorded in the U.S in the 19th century. It originally described farm animals of low quality (undersized or ill-formed cattle for instance), as well as a dishonest person suspected of being involved in questionable activities (often involving money).
After the Civil War, scallywag was adopted by southern newspapers to refer to southern whites who collaborated with freed slaves and white newcomers from the north (called carpetbaggers, a reference to the carpet bags commonly used as luggage in those days) with the aim of controlling state and local governments. It was a derogatory term targeted at white southerners who were willing to accept some of the measures imposed on southern states during the so-called Reconstruction, the period immediately following the end of the Civil War.
For a long time scallywag referred mainly to corrupt politicians or persons involved in intrigue. However, it is meanwhile used to show mild contempt for mischievous people or schemers in general. The genuinely likable rascal Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain's most famous character, would have been called a scallywag in his days.
The etymological origin of scallywag has been the subject of considerable debate. The Scottish dialect contains several words, some of which are meanwhile obsolete, that could possibly serve as the origin. These range from "scallag," a name for a farm servant or a rustic person, to "scurryvaig," meaning a vagabond (the Latin "scurra vagus" means wandering fool). In North-West England (particularly Liverpool), "scally" is a well-know term for an irresponsible, troublemaking young man.
(sources: Wikipedia, World Wide Words)
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SYNONYMS
rascal, cheat, cheater, delinquent, fraud, hooligan, mischief-maker, prankster, rapscallion, rogue, rowdy, ruffian, scoundrel, scamp, shyster, sneak, swindler, trickster, troublemaker, whippersnapper
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Please tell those SCALLYWAGS in the IT department to get the computer system back on line."
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QUICK, BEFORE YOU GO, TEST YOUR MEMORY !!
Do you remember yesterday's OWAD?
What's the missing phrase?
ein offensichtliches Problem, das totgeschwiegen wird = E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ IN THE _ _ _ _
"The recent dismissal of the marketing director was the E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ IN THE _ _ _ _ during the last company meeting."
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noun
- someone who has behaved badly but who is still liked
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
The expression "scallywag" and its various spellings (scallawag, scalawag) were first recorded in the U.S in the 19th century. It originally described farm animals of low quality (undersized or ill-formed cattle for instance), as well as a dishonest person suspected of being involved in questionable activities (often involving money).
After the Civil War, scallywag was adopted by southern newspapers to refer to southern whites who collaborated with freed slaves and white newcomers from the north (called carpetbaggers, a reference to the carpet bags commonly used as luggage in those days) with the aim of controlling state and local governments. It was a derogatory term targeted at white southerners who were willing to accept some of the measures imposed on southern states during the so-called Reconstruction, the period immediately following the end of the Civil War.
For a long time scallywag referred mainly to corrupt politicians or persons involved in intrigue. However, it is meanwhile used to show mild contempt for mischievous people or schemers in general. The genuinely likable rascal Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain's most famous character, would have been called a scallywag in his days.
The etymological origin of scallywag has been the subject of considerable debate. The Scottish dialect contains several words, some of which are meanwhile obsolete, that could possibly serve as the origin. These range from "scallag," a name for a farm servant or a rustic person, to "scurryvaig," meaning a vagabond (the Latin "scurra vagus" means wandering fool). In North-West England (particularly Liverpool), "scally" is a well-know term for an irresponsible, troublemaking young man.
(sources: Wikipedia, World Wide Words)
---
SYNONYMS
rascal, cheat, cheater, delinquent, fraud, hooligan, mischief-maker, prankster, rapscallion, rogue, rowdy, ruffian, scoundrel, scamp, shyster, sneak, swindler, trickster, troublemaker, whippersnapper
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Please tell those SCALLYWAGS in the IT department to get the computer system back on line."
---
QUICK, BEFORE YOU GO, TEST YOUR MEMORY !!
Do you remember yesterday's OWAD?
What's the missing phrase?
ein offensichtliches Problem, das totgeschwiegen wird = E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ IN THE _ _ _ _
"The recent dismissal of the marketing director was the E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ IN THE _ _ _ _ during the last company meeting."
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E L _ _ _ _ _ _ IN THE _ _ _ _
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