definitions

scofflaw

[ skawf-law, skof- ]
/ ˈskɔfˌlɔ, ˈskɒf- /
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR scofflaw ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who flouts the law, especially one who fails to pay fines owed.
a person who flouts rules, conventions, or accepted practices.

RELATED WORDS

delinquent, culprit, offender, gangster, mobster, hooligan, fugitive, crook, racketeer, felon, hoodlum, thug, convict, lawbreaker, malefactor, outlaw, hood, con, jailbird, heavy

Nearby words

sclerotylosis, sclerous, scm, scody, scoff, scofflaw, scofield, scoinson arch, scoke, scold, scolding

Origin of scofflaw

First recorded in 1920–25; scoff1 + law1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for scofflaw

scofflaw

/ (ˈskɒflɔː) /

noun

US informal a person who habitually flouts or violates the law, esp one who fails to pay debts or answer summonses
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012