rascal
/ˈrɑːsk(ə)l
/noun
A mischievous or cheeky person, especially a child or man (typically used in an affectionate way): a lovable rascal you are such a rascal!...
- As a result, liars are passed off as scoundrels or rascals, or even lovable rogues.
- Miles and Jack, on the other hand, are too easy to figure out, lovable cartoons, rascals who are losers by rote.
- She says that by her own admissions, some of the applications are by rogues, and rascals and persons of dubious credibility.
Synonyms
scallywag, scamp, devil, imp, monkey, mischievous person, mischief-maker, wretch
informal horror, monster
British informal perisher
Irish informal spalpeen
Northern English informal tyke, scally
North American informal varmint, hellion
dated rip
archaic rapscallion, scapegrace
scoundrel, rogue, ne'er-do-well, good-for-nothing, reprobate
informal villain, rat
British informal scrote
informal, dated rotter, bounder
dated cad
archaic miscreant, blackguard, knave, vagabond, varlet, wastrel
Derivatives
rascality
- Congressional rascality on such a scale requires a comparable arrogance of power.
- What was the relationship between rascality and murder?
- Evidence from the postbellum period, furthermore, makes it clear that the river would continue to be a place that bred rascality.
rascally
/ adjective ...- As a result, he is ideally equipped to capture the essence of Rome: the loud traffic, fragrant markets, vigorous food and rascally bureaucratic corruption.
- But those rascally creatures are smart and agile.
- One night a rascally friend and I went into their offices late at night, took the entire library, carried it down to an all-night copying store and copied every one of them.
Origin
Middle English (in the senses 'a mob' and 'member of the rabble'): from Old French rascaille 'rabble', of uncertain origin.