noun
blackguard
BLA-guhd
noun
1
A dishonest or thoroughly unpleasant person; a scoundrel.
"Only a blackguard would abandon his own family like that."
verb
1
To insult or abuse someone with harsh, foul language.
"He blackguarded the referee after the decision went against him."
How to Use Blackguard
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned word for a scoundrel or villain.
When to use it
Old-fashioned; rarely used in modern speech.
Word Forms
blackguarded past tense, blackguards plural, blackguards singular
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Only a _____ would abandon his own family like that.
Etymology
From black and guard, originally referring to the lowest kitchen servants of a great house, who were often stained with soot and grime from their work.