rascal

American  

[ras-kuhl] / ˈræs kəl /

noun

1. a base, dishonest, or unscrupulous person.

   Synonyms:

   scapegrace, miscreant, villain, scamp, rapscallion

2. a mischievous person or animal.

   That child is a real rascal.

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rascal British  

/ ˈrɑːskəl /

noun

1. a disreputable person; villain

2. a mischievous or impish rogue

3. an affectionate or mildly reproving term for a child or old man

   you little rascal

   the wicked old rascal kissed her

4. obsolete a person of lowly birth

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adjective

1. obsolete (prenominal)

   1. belonging to the mob or rabble

   2. dishonest; knavish

Related Words

See knave.

Other Word Forms

• rascallike adjective

Etymology

Origin of rascal

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English rascaile, raskaille, from Old French rascaille “rabble”; perhaps akin to rash ²

Example Sentences

While Shoyo is a charismatic and ambitious rascal, Karasuno High and their various opponents provide a wide and varied array of winning characters who are willing to play the long game to win your heart.

From Salon

The most notable stock-market research over the weekend comes from academia, where researchers studied those rascals in Congress and their proclivity to trade.

From MarketWatch

“What if the rascal’s a bit wild now and then? Noisy and destructive, like a young pup, what? How would you feel about that?”

From Literature

I learned more than I’d care to know about being a knave and a rascal and committing roguery of all sorts, but minding our longitude and latitude was enough to keep me busy.

From Literature

“We look like fools to our friends,” wrote a New York Times columnist, “rascals to our enemies and incompetents to the rest.”

From Literature

Related Words

• bum
• liar
• scoundrel
• swindler
• wretch