Scapegrace

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈskeɪpɡɹeɪs/

Definitions

1. A troublemaker who is known for their playful mischief and disregard for authority
2. A person who habitually causes minor trouble or behaves in a cheeky, naughty way
3. Someone known for playful wrongdoing and disregarding rules in a lighthearted manner

Etymology: "Scapegrace" joins two words that have both drifted far from their original senses. "Scape" is an archaic form of "escape," and "grace" here means the "grace of God," the divine favour that keeps a person on the right path. Put together, the compound described someone who had slipped past that grace, a person who had escaped divine restraint and gone astray. Over time the religious weight faded and the term settled into a mild, somewhat affectionate reproach. A scapegrace is no longer a sinner beyond redemption but a wayward young person, a rascal who gets into scrapes without doing serious harm. The gap between the original meaning and the modern one is wide, yet the core idea of a person who has wandered off the straight path remains recognisable.

Synonyms: rascal, rogue, scamp

Antonyms: saint, angel