lack-grace

English

Etymology

lack +‎ grace

Noun

lack-grace (plural lack-graces)

1. (archaic) A rude person.
   • 1817, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Critique on Bertram”, in Biographia Literaria‎^[1], published 1889, page 277:

     The so-called German drama, therefore, is English in its origin, English in its materials, and English by re-adoption; and till we can prove that Kotzebue, or any of the whole breed of Kotzebues, whether dramatists or romantic writers, or writers of romantic dramas, were ever admitted to any other shelf in the libraries of well-educated Germans than were occupied by their originals, and apes' apes in their mother country, we should submit to carry our own brat on our own shoulders; or rather consider it as a lack-grace returned from transportation, with such improvements only in growth and manners as young transported convicts usually come home with.

   • 1843, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Last of the Barons:

     “Nathless,” returned the stranger, “there are but two years or so between thine age and mine. When thou wert poring over the crabbed text, and pattering Latin by the ell, dost thou not remember a lack-grace good-for-naught, Robert Hilyard, who was always setting the school in an uproar, and was finally outlawed from that boy-world, as he hath been since from the man’s world, for inciting the weak to resist the strong?”

   • 1876 May, Rev. M[organ] G[eorge] Watkins, “Izaak Walton”, in Fraser's Magazine, pages 632–633:

     London was now no place for Royalists, so we will let the young gallants disappear to their trout-streams with their prize, under the scowls of Levellers, Antinomians, Anabaptists, Fifth-monarchy men, and other sectarians. With that scorn must there have looked upon honest Izaak's little fishing book as they asked Master Marriot for the painful Mr. Sibbes's Saints Cordials, delivered in sundrie Sermons, or worthy Mr. Thomas Tymmes's Silver Watch Bell, the sound whereof is able to win the profanest worldling, if there bee the least sparke of Grace remaining in him, not, we may be sure, without many a glance of rebuke at the lack-graces who were lovingly lingering over Izaak's plates of the tench and perch. Spite of the dark cloud which in those Puritan days overhung all diversions and every cheerful pastime, the little book won its way to many a sunny window-sill in English country-houses, and accompanied many anglers to the water side; for in two years' time another edition was required.

Adjective

lack-grace (comparative more lack-grace, superlative most lack-grace)

1. Rude; graceless; bad-mannered.
   • 1999 July 28, Kris Ferrazza, quoting Ray Shadis, “State, Maine Yankee spar over inspections”, in Lincoln County Weekly‎^[2]:

     "I'm calling on the owners of Maine Yankee to pull their managers in check, because they are destroying whatever goodwill their employees have built up," Shadis said. "This is such a lack-grace exit." He said instead of fighting the state and the community over jurisdiction questions and clean-up standards, the company should "go the extra mile, clean it up to community comfort levels, and fare thee well."

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:impolite