scot-free
adjective
- without having to pay or be penalized
adverb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L199045 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌskɒtˈfɹi/ / /ˌskɑtˈfɹi/
adj
Etymology: From Middle English scotfre, from Old English scotfrēo (“scot-free; exempt from royal tax or imposts”), equivalent to scot (“payment; contribution; fine”) + -free.
- Free of scot, free of tax.
adv
Etymology: From Middle English scotfre, from Old English scotfrēo (“scot-free; exempt from royal tax or imposts”), equivalent to scot (“payment; contribution; fine”) + -free.
- Without consequences or penalties, free without payment.
“to get off scot-free”
“To ſay the Ieſuites are all ſmattred vvith Atheiſme, I vvill not: and to ſay, that any of them all are abſolutely ſcotfree from it, I cannot: it is ſo repugnant from their ovvne principles.”