skellum

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English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Danish skælm, from Middle Low German; cognate to German Schelm.

Noun

skellum (plural skellums)

  1. (obsolete, UK) A scoundrel.
    • 1663 April 3, Samuel Pepys, Diary:
      Dr. Creeton, [Robert Creighton] the Scotchman, […] ripped up Hugh Peters (calling him the execrable skellum), his preaching and stirring up the maids of the city to bring in their bodkins and thimbles.
    • 1791, Robert Burns, Tam O' Shanter, lines 17–22:
      O Tam! had'st thou but been sae wise,
      As taen thy ain wife Kate's advice!
      She tauld thee weel thou was a skellum,
      A blethering, blustering, drunken blellum;
      That frae November till October,
      Ae market-day thou was na sober.

Etymology 2

From Afrikaans skelm, from German Schelm or Middle Low German; cognate to etymology 1.

Noun

skellum (plural skellums)

  1. (South Africa) A rogue.

Related terms

Anagrams

Icelandic

Noun

skellum f

  1. indefinite dative plural of skella

Verb

skellum

  1. first-person plural present indicative of skella
  2. first-person plural present subjunctive of skella
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