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scapegrace

noun

  1. reckless person
L327196 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈskeɪpɡɹeɪs/

noun

Etymology: From scape (“(archaic) escape”) + grace (“grace of god”).

  1. A wild and reckless person (especially a boy); a scoundrel.

    He is now laden with that superabundant energy which makes a fool of a man, and a scapegrace of a boy, and he wants to work it off.

    An infantry officer in the trenches, Graves wrote of his rocky and scapegrace return to civilian life: "I still had the Army Habit of commandeering anything of uncertain ownership that I found lying about; also a difficulty in telling the truth--it was always easier for me now, when charged with any fault, to lie my way out in Army style."