Adjacent Words

scamp definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: one who is playfully mischievous [syn: imp, scamp, monkey, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywag] v
1: perform hastily and carelessly

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: obsolete scamp to roam about idly Date: 1808 1. rascal, rogue 2. an impish or playful young person • scampish adjective II. transitive verb Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1837 to perform or deal with in a hasty, neglectful, or imperfect manner

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. colloq. a rascal; a rogue. Derivatives: scampish adj. Etymology: scamp rob on highway, prob. f. MDu. schampen decamp f. OF esc(h)amper (as EX-(1), L campus field) 2. v.tr. do (work etc.) in a perfunctory or inadequate way. Etymology: perh. formed as SCAMP(1): cf. SKIMP

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scamp Scamp (sk[a^]mp), n. [OF. escamper to run away, to make one's escape. Originally, one who runs away, a fugitive, a vagabond. See Scamper.] A rascal; a swindler; a rogue. --De Quincey.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scamp Scamp, v. t. [Cf. Scamp,n., or Scant, a., and Skimp.] To perform in a hasty, neglectful, or imperfect manner; to do superficially. [Colloq.] A workman is said to scamp his work when he does it in a superficial, dishonest manner. --Wedgwood. Much of the scamping and dawdling complained of is that of men in establishments of good repute. --T. Hughes.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(scamps) If you call a boy a scamp, you mean that he is naughty or disrespectful but you like him, so you find it difficult to be angry with him. (INFORMAL) Have some respect for me, you scamp! = rascal N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Rogue, rascal, cheat, knave, swindler, sharper, trickster, scoundrel, villain, scapegrace, worthless fellow.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A highwayman. Royal scamp: a highwayman who robs civilly. Royal foot scamp; a footpad who behaves in like manner.

Moby Thesaurus

bad boy, begrudge, bird, blackguard, blink, booger, buffoon, bugger, carefully ignore, chap, cold-shoulder, cut a corner, cut corners, cutup, devil, dodge, dog, duck, elf, enfant terrible, famish, fudge, funmaker, grudge, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, imp, joker, jokester, knave, limb, little devil, little monkey, little rascal, live upon nothing, minx, mischief, mischief-maker, pass over, pass over lightly, pinch, pinch pennies, pixie, practical joker, prankster, precious rascal, puck, rapscallion, rascal, ribald, rogue, rowdy, ruffian, scalawag, scant, scapegrace, scoundrel, screw, scrimp, shyster, skim, skim over, skim the surface, skimp, skip over, slight, slubber over, slur, slur over, slyboots, sneak, spalpeen, starve, stint, touch upon, touch upon lightly, villain, wag