scot-free

See also: scotfree

English

WOTD – 8 September 2010

Alternative forms

• scotfree
• scott free

Etymology

From Middle English scotfre, from Old English scotfrēo (“scot-free; exempt from royal tax or imposts”), equivalent to scot (“payment; contribution; fine”) +‎ -free.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌskɒtˈfɹi/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌskɑtˈfɹi/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adverb

scot-free (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Free of scot, free of tax.
2. (colloquial) Without consequences or penalties, to go free without payment.

   to get off scot-free (to get away without penalty; to beat the rap)

Translations

free of scot; free of tax

• Finnish: veroton (fi)
• French: dégrevé (fr), détaxé (fr)
• German: steuerfrei (de)

• Russian: (somewhat) беспошлинно (ru) (bespošlinno)
• Spanish: desgravado (es),

without consequences or penalties

• Finnish: rangaistuksetta
• French: en douce (fr), ni vu ni connu (fr)
• German: ungeschoren (de), ungestraft (de), staffrei
• Icelandic: (unharmed) öskaddaður m, (unharmed) ómeiddur m, (without accidents) slysalaust, (free) ókeypis (is), (get off scot-free) sleppa með skrekkinn

• Russian: безнаказанно (ru) (beznakazanno)
• Spanish: impune (es), de rositas
• Swedish: stafflös