rascal
NounWordNet 3.0
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
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]
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]
The Devil's Dictionary
RASCAL, n. A fool considered under another aspect.