scapegrace

[ skeyp-greys ]

noun

1. a complete rogue or rascal; a habitually unscrupulous person; scamp.

scapegrace

/ ˈskeɪpˌɡreɪs /

noun

1. an idle mischievous person

Word History and Origins

Origin of scapegrace¹

First recorded in 1800–10; scape ² + grace

Word History and Origins

Origin of scapegrace¹

C19: from scape ² + grace , alluding to a person who lacks God's grace

Example Sentences

“Not a bit, and you never will. You’ve grown bigger and bonnier, but you are the same scapegrace as ever.”

From Literature

Her affect evokes old-timey words — scamp, scapegrace, minx.

From New York Times

However, the various people suspected of Ackroyd’s murder — the enigmatic butler, the pretty parlor maid, the blunt Major Blunt, the fair-haired ingénue, the scapegrace heir — are such genre stereotypes that I grew convinced that Christie employed them, here and throughout her work, in a spirit of ironic affection.

From Washington Post

On his last page, his two scapegrace heroes duly toast each other and “a creed even merrier than Socialism, more convivial than Total Abstinence, and more perfectly designed for human needs than Esperanto — the gospel of ‘Cheer up.’

From Washington Post

Let her know that she has committed a crime that can land a person behind bars; but remember, too, that this scapegrace is a teenager for now, and your daughter for always.

From New York Times

Related Words

• rascal