rascal

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand of the rascal. Wyclif (1 Kings [ 1 Samuel ] vi. 19). [ 1913 Webster ]

Poor men alone? No, no; the noblest deer hath them [ horns ] as huge as the rascal. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mean, trickish fellow; a base, dishonest person; a rogue; a scoundrel; a trickster. [ 1913 Webster ]

For I have sense to serve my turn in store,
And he's a rascal who pretends to more. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. State of being a rascal; rascality; domain of rascals; rascals, collectively. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female rascal. [ Humorous ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Rascalities /plu> [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The quality or state of being rascally, or a rascal; mean trickishness or dishonesty; base fraud. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The poorer and lower classes of people. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The chief heads of their clans with their several rascalities T. Jackson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Rascal ] A low, mean wretch; a rogue; same as rascal, n.. 2; now disused, replaced by rapscalion. [ archaic ] [ Written also rascalion. ] [ 1913 Webster ]