[syn: imp, scamp, monkey, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywag]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rascal \Ras"cal\, a.
Of or pertaining to the common herd or common people; low;
mean; base. "The rascal many." --Spencer. "The rascal
people." --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
While she called me rascal fiddler. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rascal \Ras"cal\ (r[a^]s"kal), 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.]
[1913 Webster]
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.]
[1913 Webster]
He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty
thousand of the rascal. --Wyclif (1
Kings [1
Samuel] vi.
19).
[1913 Webster]
Poor men alone? No, no; the noblest deer hath them
[horns] as huge as the rascal. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. A mean, trickish fellow; a base, dishonest person; a
rogue; a scoundrel; a trickster.
[1913 Webster]
For I have sense to serve my turn in store,
And he's a rascal who pretends to more. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
rascal
n 1: a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel [syn: rogue,
knave, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywag,
varlet]
2: one who is playfully mischievous [syn: imp, scamp,
monkey, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywag]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
53 Moby Thesaurus words for "rascal":
bad boy, bastard, blackguard, blighter, booger, bounder, buffoon,
bugger, cad, cutup, dastard, devil, elf, enfant terrible, funmaker,
good-for-nothing, heel, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, imp, joker,
jokester, knave, little devil, little monkey, little rascal,
lowlife, minx, mischief, mischief-maker, miscreant, pixie,
practical joker, prankster, precious rascal, puck, rapscallion,
rogue, rotter, rowdy, ruffian, scalawag, scamp, scapegrace,
scoundrel, shyster, sneak, spalpeen, villain, wag, wastrel,
wretch
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
RASCAL, n. A fool considered under another aspect.