What does the saying scot free mean?
Definition of get off scot-free informal. : to not get the punishment that is deserved It’s not fair. I was punished and they got off scot-free.
Where did the phrase getting away scot free come from?
‘ According to Robert Hendrickson’s The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, a scot “was a municipal tax in 12th-century England.” Hence, if someone were to avoid paying their taxes, they were getting away scot-free. In other words, they were getting away tax-free.
Is Scott free a saying?
‘Scot’ as a term for tax has been used since then in various forms – Church scot, Rome scot, Soul scot and so on. Whatever the tax, the phrase ‘getting off scot free’ simply refers to not paying one’s taxes. No one likes paying tax and people have been getting off scot free since at least the 11th century.
Is scot free informal?
(informal) escape from a situation without receiving the punishment you deserve: It seemed so unfair that she was punished while the others got off scot-free!
What does Scott mean?
from Scotland
Scott is unsurprisingly a masculine name of Scottish origin. Though it is a bit of a “from the outside looking in” approach to labeling a person of that country, this name celebrates heritage. Meaning “from Scotland” or “a scotsman” this name will always transport you to your homeland.
What is the origin of Great Scott?
The reference is to General Winfield Scott, who commanded one of the two American armies in the Mexican War and was the Union general-in-chief at the beginning of the Civil War. This and other evidence, although not conclusive, points strongly to Winfield Scott as the source of “Great Scott!”
Is scot free hyphenated?
Merriam-Webster later tweeted a definition for the term, first with one ‘t’ and a hyphen — then with two ‘t’s. It read: ‘scot-free’: Completely free from obligation, harm, or penalty. ‘scott free’: Some guy, probably.”
Does scot free have a hyphen?
Who says Great Scott?
Dr. Emmett Brown
“Great Scott” was an exclamation used by Dr. Emmett Brown frequently throughout his life.
What is Scott a nickname for?
Scott is an English name that means “from Scotland’. The name was originally a nickname or a surname before becoming common as a given name. The name could also refer to someone that spoke Scottish Gaelic.
Why do British people say Great Scott?
Origins. It is frequently assumed that Great Scott! is a minced oath of some sort, Scott replacing God. The 2010 edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English labels the expression as “dated” and simply identifies it as an “arbitrary euphemism for ‘Great God!’ “.
Is it scotch free or scott free?
Getting away with something “scot free” has nothing to do with the Scots (or Scotch). The scot was a medieval tax; if you evaded paying it you got off scot free. Some people wrongly suppose this phrase alludes to Dred Scott, the American slave who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom.