Rascal.

Originally applied in the chase to a lean, worthless deer, then a collective term for the commonalty, the mob; and popularly to a base fellow. Shakespeare says, “Horns! the noblest deer hath them as huge as the rascal” [deer]. Palsgrave calls a starveling animal, like the lean kine of Pharaoh, “a rascall refus beest” (1530). The French have racaille (riff-raff).

“Come, you thin thing; come, you rascal.”—Shakespeare: 2 Henry IV., v. 4.

previous entry · index · next entry

Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

Rap
Rape
Rape of the Lock
Raphael
Raphael of Cats (The)
Rapparee
Rappee
Rara Avis (Latin, a rare bird)
Rare Ben
Raree Show
Rascal
Rascal Counters
Rasher
Rashleigh Osbaldistone
Rasiel
Raspberry
Rasselas
Rat
Rat (To)
Rat (Un)
Rat, Cat, and Dog