scamp

[skamp]

noun

1. an unscrupulous and often mischievous person; rascal; rogue; scalawag.

2. a playful, mischievous, or naughty young person; upstart.

3. a grouper, Mycteroperca phenax, of Florida: so called from its habit of stealing bait.

verb (used with object)

1. to do or perform in a hasty or careless manner.

   to scamp work.

scamp

¹

/ skæmp /

noun

1. an idle mischievous person; rascal

2. a mischievous child

scamp

²

/ skæmp /

verb

1. a less common word for skimp

Other Word Forms

• scamper noun
• scampingly adverb
• scampish adjective
• scampishly adverb
• scampishness noun
• unscamped adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of scamp¹

1775–85; obsolete scamp to travel about idly or for mischief, perhaps < obsolete Dutch schampen to be gone < Old French escamper to decamp

Word History and Origins

Origin of scamp¹

C18: from scamp (vb) to be a highway robber, probably from Middle Dutch schampen to decamp, from Old French escamper, from es- _ex- ¹ + -camper, from Latin campus field

Example Sentences

But the little scamp was nowhere to be found.

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Naturally, the lady’s unexpected presence in the tree had attracted the squirrel’s attention, and being nearly tame, the hungry scamp had come right up to her to beg for treats.

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Somehow the furry scamp had avoided being torn to shreds by the children and had subsequently become Cassiopeia’s beloved pet, living on the tree branches outside the nursery windows.

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Sonny is the closest he’s come to circling back around to his breakout role in “Thelma & Louise” as a charismatic cowboy scamp.

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For adult readers and viewers, he’s a comical scamp; to a kid, he’s an ideal.

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