Scaramouch

American  

[skar-uh-mouch, -moosh] / ˈskær əˌmaʊtʃ, -ˌmuʃ /

Or Scaramouche

noun

1. a stock character in commedia dell'arte and farce who is a cowardly braggart, easily beaten and frightened.

2. (lowercase) a rascal or scamp.

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Scaramouch British  

/ -ˌmuːtʃ, ˈskærəˌmaʊtʃ /

noun

1. a stock character who appears as a boastful coward in commedia dell'arte and farce

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Etymology

Origin of Scaramouch

First recorded in 1662; from French Scaramouche, from Italian Scaramuccia, proper noun use of scaramuccia “skirmish” (applied in jest); see origin at skirmish ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Scaramouch

Scaramouch was one of the stock characters of the old Italian comedy, which still exists as the harlequinade of the Christmas pantomime, and of which some traces survive in the Punch and Judy show.

From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest

A celebrated Scaramouch, without uttering a syllable, kept the audience for a considerable time in a state of suspense by a scene of successive terrors; and exhibited a living picture of a panic-stricken man.

From Curiosities of Literature, Vol. 2 by Disraeli, Isaac

Fiorelli, Tiberio of Naples, the famous Scaramouch, i.

From The Memoirs of Count Carlo Gozzi; Volume the First by Gozzi, Carlo

Scaramouch is the necromancer's man, and the comic scenes, although the stage tricks are old, prove very good pantomime.

From The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume III by Summers, Montague

A gaudy Harlequin and his brother Scaramouch invite the attention of the passers-by.

From A History of the Four Georges, Volume I by McCarthy, Justin