Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Variant of scalawag.
Wiktionary
- n. pejorative A rascal.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
- n. one who is playfully mischievous
- n. a white Southerner who supported Reconstruction policies after the American Civil War (usually for self-interest)
Etymologies
- Of Irish origin, "scalawag" refers to a "rascal" and is probably from sgalog "a labourer". (Wiktionary)
Examples
“Ultimately any potential investors considering PETE SUMARUCK as a possible recipient of their hard-earned funds will be forced to rethink any notions of trusting such a scurrilous back-alley scallywag, slanderous liar, and unprincipled con-artist with any investments of any sort!”
“Beyond making the pirate tale “cooler and sexier”, the reboot would reportedly turn Treasure Island into a mostly two-man story – that of sinister scallywag Long John Silver and young protagonist Jim Hawkins – in hopes of attracting big names to the starring roles.”
“Just WilliamThe BBC radio series of Richmal Crompton's stories about the home counties scallywag didn't need a cast, just Martin Jarvis reading the stories aloud, capturing the us versus the world outlook of the Outlaws.”
“This week they discovered the thief's identity and were stunned to find it was an inside job – the light-fingered scallywag lives on the course.”
The Guardian: Luck runs out for Kansas Jayhawks fan's talismanic T-shirt and shorts
“That was the big challenge in this book, and it was also my big concern in turning it over to people who make movies because it would be quite easy for Hollywood to turn him into a lovable scallywag and then the reality that I worked hard to get into the book is being eroded.”
Voice of America: Unorthodox Attorney Defends Hero Who May Be a Villian in 'The Lincoln Lawyer'
“More than just an epic and intricately plotted fantasy, Aria is an examination of the politics of slavery through one man's journey from ne'er-do-well scallywag to leader of the free world.”
“Diouf, you see, is a slightly temperamental chap who has been known to spit at the odd football supporter and scallywag ballboy when he is placed in a state of fear and alarm.”
The Guardian: Think Diouf is vile? Listen to the fans | Kevin McKenna
“I only still live of all that brave, mad, scallywag ship's company ...”
“But since it don't seem very Christmassy to make it all about the money, I figured in the spirit of the season, I'd allow for them as ain't got no dosh what they can afford to donate, and for them as would rather donate that dosh to a worthier cause than some scallywag fabbler like meself.”
“But I know he'd have welcomed us with all his charm – the old scallywag!”
The Guardian: Simon Hoggart's week: A tweet in store – Mrs Farnsbarns and the milkman
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘scallywag’.
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Bad Options
words for those who commit particular crimes: i.e., bank robber, arsonist, etc.
liar, cheat, traitor, arsonist, felon, braggard, thief, profiteer, impostor, phony, fraud, culprit and 213 more...
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old timey talk
Words or Sayings from the 1920's or whatever that no one really uses anymore (at least in that context).
scram, bearcat, heavens to betsy, dick, double-cross, ducky, gams, goofy, hooch, jalopy, john, joe and 174 more...
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The weird, the wonderful and the plai...
Loved for their ingenuity, an exact description, or simply for the pure joy of it.
acidulous, aprosdoketon, higgledy-piggledy, lexicographical, ninja, audacious, somnabulist, shivaree, amorphous, quidnunc, glib, melancholy and 353 more...
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Dirty Deeds, Acts & Villainous Arcana
Villains, evildoers, and the wonderful words to describe them.
putsch, internecine, galère, stygian, infernal, opprobrium, anathema, bruit, scurrility, mulct, misanthropic, invective and 102 more...
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Unsavory characters
absconder, aretaloger, arriviste, avaunter, bamboozler, bandit, banger, barbarian, barmecide, barrator, beldam, blatherskite and 190 more...
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#faveword
Words chosen as favorites for the Twitter hashtag #faveword.
autumnal, grotto, chiaroscuro, sfumato, homunculus, zing, zest, effervescent, bewitch, avuncular, susurrus, Styrofoam and 205 more...
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Arrr.... Pirate Lingo
davy jones locker, ahoy!, scurvy, slimebucket, plank, aye, keelhaul, booty, avast, scallywag, parlay, shiver me timbers! and 1 more...
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9-16 letter words without E
abduction, abolitionist, abomination, actuality, addiction, administration, admission, ambiguous, anticlimactic, application, arachnophobia, arthropathy and 186 more...
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Pirate Words
Arrrrrrrgh. September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, mateys.
arrrrrrrrgh., ahoy, plank, avast, shiver-me-timbers, wench, scurvey dogs, aye aye, land lubber, swabbie, swashbuckle, gold and 21 more...
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Fun Words
Words that are fun to say....
gobbledygook, jings, crivens, hullabaloo, wheech, brouhaha, pizzazz, harum-scarum, namby-pamby, pussyfoot, frippery, pitter-patter and 333 more...
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Twitter favorites
The new favourite words of people on Twitter.
A script searches Twitter for "X is my new favorite word" and adds it to this list.
See also:
unfathomably, glice, cuh, fab, ciggaty, doll, thuggin, oxymoronic, pineapple, succubutt, griming, cheeky and 3063 more... -
~~Olde-Fashioned Insults~~
ragamuffin, muttonchops, tatterdemalion, nincompoop, whippersnapper, bootlicker, backscratcher, loggerhead, weisenheimer, hornswoggler, thimblerigger, quacksalver and 111 more...
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eggplantia5's Words
scintillate, marvel, cranberry, oscillate, triumph, bamboozle, grimace, magical, book, hexagon, cipher, compendium and 2727 more...
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kimo2000's Words
pakalolo, miliated, voodoo, vindaloo, hacienda, acquiesce, addlepated, olio, akimbo, apropos, oogenesis, arugula and 181 more...
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katiad's Words
exquisite, obnoxious, noxious, extravaganza, whirlwind, whirling, wild, spinster, existential, chaos, zephyr, blasphemy and 310 more...
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Words that delight me
tepid, perfunctory, trope, benign, inordinate, bewildering, ersatz, boon, delectable, apt, scuttlebutt, sequester and 398 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for scallywag.

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