Dictionary

blackguardly en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈblæɡ.ɑːrd.li/ (General-American)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From blackguard + -ly.

Meanings

1. Characteristic of a blackguard.
   • As the cab drew up before the address indicated, the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street, a gin palace, a low French eating house, a shop for the retail of penny numbers and twopenny salads, many ragged children huddled in the doorways, and many women of many different nationalities passing out, key in hand, to have a morning glass; and the next moment the fog settled down again upon that part, as brown as umber, and cut him off from his blackguardly surroundings. 1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Carew Murder Case”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, pages 40–41:
   • Slipping the rope from the jenny, he handed her off to his fellow in blackguardly deals, and with remarkable inconspicuity put on the halter and dug in his heels. 2017, Jan D. Hodge, The Bard & Scheherazade Keep Company, San Jose, Calif.: Able Muse Press, →ISBN, page 55:
   • Blackguardly barneys called boxing competitions. 1882 September 2, Evening News, column 6, page 1:

Forms