Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
scot-free en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˌskɒtˈfɹi/ (UK)
- /ˌskɑtˈfɹi/ (US)
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From Middle English scotfre, from Old English scotfrēo (“scot-free; exempt from royal tax or imposts”), equivalent to scot (“payment; contribution; fine”) + -free.
Meanings
-
(archaic) Free of scot, free of tax.
Forms
Relateds
beat the rap
Translations (6)
de steuerfrei (free of scot; free of tax) · fi veroton (free of scot; free of tax) · fr détaxé (free of scot; free of tax) · ru беспошлинно (free of scot; free of tax) · fr dégrevé (free of scot; free of tax) · es desgravado (free of scot; free of tax)
wikipedia: Language Log
scot-free en · ADV
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˌskɒtˈfɹi/ (UK)
- /ˌskɑtˈfɹi/ (US)
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From Middle English scotfre, from Old English scotfrēo (“scot-free; exempt from royal tax or imposts”), equivalent to scot (“payment; contribution; fine”) + -free.
Meanings
-
(colloquial, not-comparable) Without consequences or penalties, free without payment.
Correct me if I am missuggesting; you stated that there were 28,000 actual serious crimes committed in 1965 —I believe it was that year — and only 1,000 convictions , which means that the chances are, roughly, 28 to 1 of getting off scot free — that one can commit an act of violence, a serious crime, and have a good chance of getting off.
1967, United States. Congress. House. Committee on the District of Columbia, Anticrime Legislation, page 38:[T]he Papiſts, profeſſed Enemies of our Church and Religion, eſcaping in the mean vvhile Scot-free, ſeldome or never medled vvithal in any of their Sermons.
a. 1664 (date delivered), Robert Sanderson, “The Preface to the Reader”, in XXXIV Sermons. […], 5th edition, London: […] [A. Clark] for A. Seil, and are to be sold by G. Sawbridge, […], published 1671, →OCLC:Opioids have killed 600,000 Americans. The Sacklers just got off scot-free
2021 September 5, Chris McGreal, “Opioids have killed 600,000 Americans. The Sacklers just got off scot-free”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:To ſay the Ieſuites are all ſmattred vvith Atheiſme, I vvill not: and to ſay, that any of them all are abſolutely ſcotfree from it, I cannot: it is ſo repugnant from their ovvne principles.
1602, William Watson, “The IIII. Article”, in A Decacordon of Ten Quodlibeticall Questions Concerning Religion and State: […], [London]: […] [Richard Field], →OCLC, page 110:to get off scot-free
He added: "It's been a long journey, and it's really, really nice to able^([sic]) to turn and look at my clients, and say 'he can't get off scot-free for this. He can't. You had a defendant who went into that courtroom and said, 'I think I should have to pay them a dollar.' And this jury said no."
2022 August 4, Elizabeth Williamson, quoting Mark Bankston, “Jurors award Sandy Hook parents $4 million in damages”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
Forms
Translations (24)
ru безнаказанно (without consequences or penalties) · is ókeypis (without consequences or penalties) · es de rositas (without consequences or penalties) · sv strafflös (without consequences or penalties) · de straffrei (without consequences or penalties) · hu büntetlenül (without consequences or penalties) · is sleppa með skrekkinn (without consequences or penalties) · sco hailscart (without consequences or penalties) · pl rozchodzić się po kościach (without consequences or penalties) · is (unharmed) öskaddaður (without consequences or penalties) · de ungestraft (without consequences or penalties) · es impune (without consequences or penalties) · is slysalaust (without consequences or penalties) · de ungeschoren (without consequences or penalties) · fr en douce (without consequences or penalties) · fi kuin koira veräjästä (without consequences or penalties) · fr ni vu ni connu (without consequences or penalties) · hu sértetlenül (without consequences or penalties) · pl rozejść się po kościach (without consequences or penalties) · fi rangaistuksetta (without consequences or penalties) · af skotvry (without consequences or penalties) · hu bántódás nélkül (without consequences or penalties) · is (unharmed) ómeiddur (without consequences or penalties) · bg безнаказан (without consequences or penalties)
wikipedia: Language Log