scapegallows en · NOUN
Etymology
From scape (archaic for escape) + gallows.
Meanings
-
(colloquial, dated) A criminal who has narrowly escaped from being hanged.
[…] And remember this, 'scapegallows,' said Ralph, menacing him with his hand, 'that if we meet again, and you so much as notice me by one begging gesture, you shall see the inside of a jail once more […]
1838–1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| scapegallowses | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| 'scapegallows | alternative | lexicographic |