A deceitful and unreliable scoundrel.

synonyms: knave, rapscallion, rascal, scalawag, scallywag, varlet.

Roget 548: deceiver etc. (deceive) etc. 545; dissembler, hypocrite; sophist, Pharisee, Jesuit, Mawworm^†, Pecksniff, Joseph Surface, Tartufe^†, Janus; serpent, snake in the grass, cockatrice, Judas, wolf in sheep's clothing; jilt; shuffler^†, stool pigeon.    liar etc. (lie) etc. 544; story-teller, perjurer, false witness, menteur a triple etage [Fr.], Scapin^†; bunko steerer [U.S.], carpetbagger [U.S.], capper [U.S.], faker, fraud, four flusher [Slang], horse coper^†, ringer [Slang], spieler^†, straw bidder [U.S.].    imposter, pretender, soi-disant [Fr.], humbug; adventurer; Cagliostro, Fernam Mendez Pinto; ass in lion's skin etc. (bungler) 701; actor etc. (stage player) 599.    quack, charlatan, mountebank, saltimbanco^†, saltimbanque^†, empiric, quacksalver, medicaster^†, Rosicrucian, gypsy; man of straw.    conjuror, juggler, trickster, prestidigitator, jockey; crimp, decoy, decoy duck; rogue, knave, cheat; swindler etc. (thief) 792; jobber.    ... show more

Roget 941: knave, rogue; Scapin^†, rascal; Lazarillo de Tormes; bad man etc. 949; blackguard etc. 949; barrater^†, barrator^†; shyster [U.S.].    traitor, betrayer, archtraitor^†, conspirator, Judas, Catiline; reptile, serpent, snake in the grass, wolf in sheep's clothing, sneak, Jerry Sneak, squealer [Slang], tell-tale, mischief-maker; trimmer, fence-sitter, renegade etc. (tergiversation) 607; truant, recreant; sycophant etc. (servility) 886.    ... show more

Roget 949: bad man, wrongdoer, worker of iniquity; evildoer etc. 913; sinner; the wicked etc. 945; bad example.    villain, rascal, scoundrel, miscreant, budmash^†, caitiff^†; wretch, reptile, viper, serpent, cockatrice, basilisk, urchin; tiger^†, monster; devil etc. (demon) 980; devil incarnate; demon in human shape, Nana Sahib; hellhound, hellcat; rakehell^†.    bad woman, jade, Jezebel.    scamp, scapegrace, rip, runagate, ne'er-do-well, reprobate, scalawag, scallawag.    rou_e [Fr.], rake; Sadist; skeesicks [Slang], skeezix [U.S.]; limb; one who has sold himself to the devil, fallen angel, ame damnee [Fr.], vaurien^†, mauvais sujet [Fr.], loose fish, sad dog; rounder [Slang]; lost sheep, black sheep; castaway, recreant, defaulter; prodigal etc. 818.    rough, rowdy, hooligan, tough, ugly customer, mean mother [Coll.], ruffian, bully, meanie [Joc.]; Jonathan Wild; hangman.    incendiary, arsonist, fire bug [U.S.].    thief etc. 792; murderer, terrorist etc. 361.    [person who violates the criminal law] culprit, delinquent, crook, hoodlum, hood, criminal, thug, malefactor, offender, perpetrator, perp [Coll.]; disorderly person, misdemeanant [Law]; outlaw; scofflaw; vandal; felon, (convicted criminal); criminal; convict, prisoner, inmate, jail bird, ticket of leave man; multiple offender.    blackguard, polisson^†, loafer, sneak; rapscallion, rascallion^†; cullion^†, mean wretch, varlet, kern^†, ame-de-boue [Fr.], drole^†; cur, dog, hound^†, whelp^†, mongrel^†; lown^†, loon, runnion^†, outcast, vagabond; rogue etc. (knave) 941; ronian^†; scum of the earth, riffraff; Arcades ambo^†.    ... show more

Dutch: schurk, knecht, boy, boef, bedrieger, schelm