scofflaw
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scofflaw — 1924, from SCOFF (Cf. scoff) (q.v.) + LAW (Cf. law). The winning entry in a national contest during Prohibition to coin a word to characterize a person who drinks illegally, chosen from more than 25,000 entries; the $200 winning prize was split… … Etymology dictionary
scofflaw — ☆ scofflaw [skäf′lô΄ ] n. [ SCOFF1 + LAW] Informal a habitual or flagrant violator of laws, esp. traffic or liquor laws … English World dictionary
scofflaw — [20] Aside from proprietary names and some scientific terms, it is rare for words that are pure human inventions (rather than naturally evolved forms) to make a permanent place for themselves in the English language, but scofflaw is a case in… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
scofflaw — UK [ˈskɒfˌlɔː] / US [ˈskɑfˌlɔ] noun [countable] Word forms scofflaw : singular scofflaw plural scofflaws American mainly journalism someone who does not obey laws … English dictionary
scofflaw — [20] Aside from proprietary names and some scientific terms, it is rare for words that are pure human inventions (rather than naturally evolved forms) to make a permanent place for themselves in the English language, but scofflaw is a case in… … Word origins
scofflaw — noun Date: 1924 a contemptuous law violator … New Collegiate Dictionary
scofflaw — /skawf law , skof /, n. 1. a person who flouts the law, esp. one who fails to pay fines owed. 2. a person who flouts rules, conventions, or accepted practices. [1920 25; SCOFF1 + LAW1] * * * … Universalium
scofflaw — noun a) One who habitually violates minor laws or fails to answer trivial court summonses (such as parking tickets.) b) An iconoclast … Wiktionary
scofflaw — Synonyms and related words: Judas, betrayer, convict, criminal, crook, deceiver, desperado, desperate criminal, double dealer, felon, fugitive, gallows bird, gangster, gaolbird, jailbird, lawbreaker, mobster, outlaw, public enemy, quisling,… … Moby Thesaurus
scofflaw — scoff|law [ skaf,lɔ ] noun count AMERICAN MAINLY JOURNALISM someone who does not obey laws … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
