Ras"cal (?), n. [OE. rascaille rabble, probably from an OF. racaille, F. racaille the rabble, rubbish, probably akin to F. racler to scrape, (assumed) LL. rasiculare, rasicare, fr. L. radere, rasum. See Rase, v.]

1.

One of the rabble; a low, common sort of person or creature; collectively, the rabble; the common herd; also, a lean, ill-conditioned beast, esp. a deer.

[Obs.]

He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand of the rascal. Wyclif (1 Kings [1 Samuel] vi. 19).

Poor men alone? No, no; the noblest deer hath them [horns] as huge as the rascal. Shak.

2. A mean, trickish fellow; a base, dishonest person; a rogue; a scoundrel; a trickster.

For I have sense to serve my turn in store, And he's a rascal who pretends to more. Dryden.

 

© Webster 1913.


Ras`cal, a.

Of or pertaining to the common herd or common people; low; mean; base.

"The rascal many." Spencer. "The rascal people." Shak.

While she called me rascal fiddler. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.

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