Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Rascal?

\Ras"cal\, n. [OE. rascaille rabble, probably from an OF. racaille, F. racaille the rabble, rubbish, probably akin to F. racler to scrape, (assumed) LL. rasiculare, rasicare, fr. L. radere, rasum. See {Rase}, v.] 1. One of the rabble; a low, common sort of person or creature; collectively, the rabble; the common herd; also, a lean, ill-conditioned beast, esp. a deer. [Obs.] He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand of the rascal. --Wyclif (1 Kings [1 Samuel] vi. 19). Poor men alone? No, no; the noblest deer hath them [horns] as huge as the rascal. --Shak. 2. A mean, trickish fellow; a base, dishonest person; a rogue; a scoundrel; a trickster. For I have sense to serve my turn in store, And he's a rascal who pretends to more. --Dryden.
\Ras`cal\, a. Of or pertaining to the common herd or common people; low; mean; base. ``The rascal many.'' --Spencer. ``The rascal people.'' --Shak. While she called me rascal fiddler. --Shak.