never-do-welln.adj.
/ˈnɛvəduːˌwɛl/, U.S. /ˈnɛvərˌduˌwɛl/ A. n.
= ne'er-do-well n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > worthlessness > worthless person > [noun]
ribalda1250
brethelingc1275
filec1300
waynouna1350
waster1352
lorel1362
losel1362
land-leaper1377
javelc1400
leftc1400
lorerc1400
shackerellc1420
brethel1440
never-thrift1440
ne'er-thrifta1450
never-thrivinga1450
nebulona1475
breelc1485
naughty pack?1534
brathel1542
unsel155.
pelf1551
wandrel?1567
land-loper1570
scald1575
baggage1594
arrant1605
good-for-nothing1611
hilding1611
vauneant1621
idle-pack1624
thimble-maker1654
never-do-well1664
ne'er-be-good1675
shack1682
vagabond1686
shag-bag1699
houndsfoot1710
blackguard1732
ne'er-do-well1737
trumpery1738
rap1742
good-for-naught1773
rip1781
mauvais sujet1793
scamp1808
waffie1808
loose fish1809
ne'er-do-good1814
hard bargain1818
vaurien1829
sculpin1834
shicer1846
wastrel1847
scallywag1848
shack-bag1855
beat1865
rodney1877
git1939
no-hoper1944
piss artist1962
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > [noun] > worthlessness > good-for-nothing person
brethelingc1275
filec1300
dogc1330
ribald1340
waynouna1350
waster1352
lorel1362
losel1362
land-leaper1377
triflera1382
brothelc1390
javelc1400
leftc1400
lorerc1400
shackerellc1420
brethel1440
never-thrift1440
vagrant1444
ne'er-thrifta1450
never-thrivinga1450
nebulona1475
breelc1485
naughty pack?1534
brathel1542
carrion1547
slim1548
unsel155.
pelf1551
shifterc1562
rag1566
wandrel?1567
land-loper1570
nothing-worth1580
baggage1594
roly-poly1602
bash-rag1603
arrant1605
ragabash?1609
flabergullion1611
hilding1611
hard bargain1612
slubberdegullion1612
vauneant1621
knick-knacker1622
idle-pack1624
slabberdegullion1653
thimble-maker1654
whiffler1659
never-do-well1664
good-for-nought1671
ne'er-be-good1675
shack1682
vagabond1686
shabaroon1699
shag-bag1699
houndsfoot1710
ne'er-do-well1737
trumpery1738
rap1742
hallion1789
scamp1808
waffie1808
ne'er-do-good1814
vaurien1829
sculpin1834
shicer1846
good-for-nothing1847
wastrel1847
scallywag1848
shack-bag1855
beat1865
toe-rag1875
rodney1877
toe-ragger1896
low-lifer1902
punk1904
lowlife1909
ringtail1916
git1939
no-hoper1944
schlub1950
piss artist1962
dead leg1964
1664 A. Pitcairne Spiritual Sacrifice 760 Remember that this delusion is a black mark of a never-do-well.
1835 J. P. Kennedy Horse-shoe Robinson II. xx. 66 I won't tell you that he is in your house to-night, for fear the tories might take you to account for harboring such a never-do-well.
1856 R. W. Procter Barber's Shop (1883) xiv. 118 He was one of those never-do-wells who lean persistently upon others.
1966 Transition No. 25. 20/1 Koyoyo the never-do-well it is who now parades himself about town!
1999 Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka) (Electronic ed.) 4 July In Colombo's commercial heartland Joe found characters worthy of Runyon's pen-pimps, tarts, card-sharpers, drunks and never-do-wells.
B. adj.
= ne'er-do-well adj. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > worthlessness > [adjective]
forcouthc888
goodlesseOE
undoughtya1225
voidc1380
bare1399
stark naught1528
worthilessa1542
queer1567
worthless1573
hilding1577
baggage1580
arrant1581
offal1588
lorel1590
losel1601
ragamuffin1602
loselled1606
loselly1611
valuelessa1616
ragamuffa1626
good-for-nothing1706
ne'er-do-well1773
rotten1813
neat1824
scamping1832
good-for-naught1835
no good1838
scampish1847
ne'er-do-wellish1890
no good1904
upter1919
never-do-well1933
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > [adjective] > worthless
forcouthc888
worthless1576
hilding1577
baggage1580
lorel1590
losel1601
ragamuffin1602
loselled1606
loselly1611
offala1626
ragamuffa1626
vagabond1630
good-for-nought1663
good-for-nothing1706
ne'er-do-well1773
ragabash1818
neat1824
scamping1832
scampish1847
wutless1853
trashy1862
ne'er-do-wellish1890
suck-egg1892
never-do-well1933
punk-ass1971
1933 G. B. Shaw Too True to be Good (1934) Pref. 5 A soldier of the old never-do-well type.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1664