blackguardlyadj.
/ˈblaɡɑːdli/, /ˈblaɡədli/, U.S. /ˈblæɡərdli/, /ˈblæˌɡɑrdli/ Of or characteristic of a blackguard (blackguard n. 6); worthless; (of language) scurrilous.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > [adjective] > base or vile
low?c1225
lechera1300
vilea1300
feeblea1325
unfreec1330
villain1340
wrackc1375
villains1390
noughty1443
slovenly?1518
peasant1550
sluttish1561
vild1567
knaifatic1568
scallardc1575
base1576
tinkerly?1576
beggarly?1577
cullion-like1591
brokerly1592
broking1592
ignoble1592
cullionly1608
disnoble1609
unsolid1731
lowly1740
blackguard1751
blackguardly1779
menial1837
low-flung1841
caddish1868
basilar1884
bounding1904
bounderish1928
1779 Gentleman's Mag. Apr. 206/2 We got in the coach that was waiting below, Through a black-guardly train, who us hail'd with a shout.
1798 C. Stearns Woman of Honor Introd. 9 Be very careful that..your pieces..be wholly purified from all prophane, obscene and low, blackguardly sentiments, and phrases.
1827 Trades' Newspaper 8 July 3/3 It is very hard that I cannot walk along the ‘Dials’ without being laid hold of by those blackguardly watchmen.
1863 E. Dicey Six Months in Federal States II. 17 The essentially blackguardly nature of the..war.
1957 L. de Wohl Glorious Folly xi. 98 I don't care whether he was as virtuous as my oldest aunt or as blackguardly as Cerberus.
1998 P. O'Brian Hundred Days iv. 97 I have had a disagreement with Captain Hobden, who used, and stood by, a very blackguardly insult, made in public.
2006 J. Shirley Subterranean iii. 56 To put me off in this blackguardly way—I can only say: Tsk!
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
blackguardlyadv.
/ˈblaɡɑːdli/, /ˈblaɡədli/, U.S. /ˈblæɡərdli/, /ˈblæˌɡɑrdli/ In the manner of a blackguard (blackguard n. 6); blackguard-like.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > [adverb] > in a base or vile manner
unwraste?c1225
vilelyc1290
unwrastlyc1320
villainlya1325
vilea1400
vildly1575
basely1593
ignobly1594
projectedly1660
unsolidly1755
blackguardly1827
bounderishly1921
1827 W. Scott Diary 4 Sept. in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Scott (1837) VII. ii. 62 Want of that article blackguardly called pluck.
1856 Empire 3 May 1166/4 For the defence, it was urged that the boy had behaved ‘blackguardly and ungentlemanly’ at the Arboretum.
1912 O. Elton Surv. Eng. Lit. (1920) I. ii. 33 He is a true low comedian..aping and mocking endlessly with the same blackguardly good-humoured gusto.
1974 B. Stone tr. Sir Gawain & Green Knight (new ed.) iii. lxxi. 87 He felt forced Either to allow her love or blackguardly rebuff her.
2006 Concord (Sierra Leone) Times (Nexis) 10 July The very Sierra Leone Peoples' Party Government he had so blackguardly attempted at exonerating of indictments.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1779adv.1827