Scalawag (or Scallawag), subs. (American).—(1) Anything low class; and spec. (2) as in quot. 1891. As adj. = wastrel; shrunken; profligate : cf. Carpet-bagger.
1855. Haliburton, Human Nature, [Bartlett]. You good-for-nothin' young scalawag.
1870. Melbourne Argus. A new term has been added to the descriptive slang of the loafing classes of Melbourne. Vagrants are now denominated scalawags.
1877. North Am. Rev., July, 5. [The carpet-baggers] combining with a few scalawags and some leading Negroes to serve as decoys for the rest . . . became the strongest body of thieves that ever pillaged a people.
1884. Chambers's Journal, 1 March, 139, 1. [Colorado man loquitur.] We are here to discuss the existence of thieves and scallawags amongst us.
1891. Century Dict., s.v. Scalawag. Used in the Southern States, during the Reconstruction period (1865-76) in an almost specific sense, being opprobriously applied by the opponents of the Republican party to native Southerners who acted with that party, as distinguished from Carpet-bagger, a Republican of Northern origin.
Scald, verb. (venery).—(1) To
infect; and (2) to wax amorous.
Scalder = a clap (Grose). As
adj. = (1) infected, and (2) contemptible;
scoundrel. Cupid's
scalding-house = a brothel.
1563-4. New Custom [Nares]. Like lettuce like lips, a scab'd horse for a scald squire.
1592. Nash, Piers Penniless [Halliwell]. Other news I am advertised of that a scald, trivial, lying pamphlet is given out to be of my doing.
1599. Middleton, Old Law, iii. 2. My three court codlings that look parboil'd, As if they came from Cupid's scalding house.
1599. Shakspeare, Hen. V., v. 1, 31, Will you be so good, scauld knave, as eat it? Ibid. (1609), Timon of Athens, ii. 2. She's even setting on water to scald such chickens as you are.
1647-8. Herrick, Hesperides, 'To Blanch.' Blanch swears her husband's lovely, when a scald Has blear'd his eyes.
1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie [Works (1725), 63? P2]. For that which stabb'd her was his Weapon, For which she did so scald and burn, That none but he could serve her turn.
Scaldabanco, subs. (old colloquial).—See
quots.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Scaldabanco, one that keepes a seate warme, but ironically spoken of idle lectures that possesse a pewe in the schooles or pulpet in churches, and baffle out they know not what; also a hot-headed puritane.
1692. Hacket, Williams, ii. 182. The Presbyterians, those Scalda-bancos, or hot declaimers, had wrought a great distast in the Commons at the king.
Scalder, subs. (common).—See
quot., and Scald.
1892. Sydney Watson, Wops the Waif, iv. I'm good at a hoperation, I can tell yer, when it's on spot and scalder (which being interpreted, meant cake and tea).
Scaldings! intj. (Winchester).—Be
gone! 'Be off!' Also a
general warning, 'Look out!'
1748. Smollett, Roderick Random, xxv. The boy . . . returned with it full of boiled peas, crying, 'Scaldings,' all the way.
Scald-rag, subs. phr. (old).—A
dyer.
1630. Taylor, Works, II. 165. As much impeachment as to cal a justice of the peace, a beadle; a dyer, a scald-ragge; or a fishmonger, a seller of gubbins.
Scaldrum-dodge, subs. phr.
(tramps').—See quot. and Fox-bite;
scaldrum = a beggar.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., 1. 262. By these Peter was initiated into the scaldrum-dodge, or the art of burning the body with a mixture of acids and gunpowder, so as to suit the hues and complexions of the accident to be deplored.
