Crossword clues for scofflaw
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1924, from scoff (v.) + law (n.). The winning entry in a national contest during Prohibition to coin a word to characterize a person who drinks illegally, chosen from more than 25,000 entries; the $200 winning prize was split between two contestants who sent in the word separately: Henry Irving Dale and Miss Kate L. Butler. Other similar attempts did not stick, such as pitilacker (1926), winning entry in a contest by the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to establish a scolding word for one who mistreats animals (submitted by Mrs. M. McIlvaine Bready of Mickleton, N.J.).
Wiktionary
n. 1 One who habitually violates minor laws or fails to answer trivial court summonses (such as parking tickets). 2 An iconoclast.
WordNet
n. one who habitually ignores the law and does not answer court summonses
Wikipedia
Scofflaw is a noun coined during the Prohibition era meaning a person who drinks illegally. It is a compound of the words scoff and law, meaning one who mocks or ridicules the law. The meaning has since been extended to describe one who flouts any law, especially those which are difficult to enforce, and particularly traffic laws.
Usage examples of "scofflaw".
Royal toilets were frequently public occasions, but this one was as private as could be, with only old Scofflaw, the valet, and a single Blade by the door--Flint, who was discreet.
That remark was directed at old Scofflaw, who had seen an opportunity to leap forward and plunge a garment over the royal head.
That left Scofflaw, but he never spoke to anyone except perhaps the King.
Trailing Scofflaw on the end of his corset strings, the King stumped over to tower above Durendal.
Throwing the soapy flannel at Scofflaw, he leaned back, sending more torrents into the guardroom.
Ambrose heaved his bulk out of the basin with a display of youthful agility, swamping the floor again and also Scofflaw, who had not been expecting the move.
About ten minutes later, Scofflaw appeared and approached Durendal in a crabwise shuffle, wearing an expression of extreme alarm.
In all truth, these talented, hardworking, law-abiding, mature, adult people are far more disturbing to the peace and order of the current status quo than any scofflaw group of romantic teenage punk kids.
They presumed that some scofflaw from outside the hallowed walls had done it.
All by myself and the office records of a scofflaw, insurance-defrauding bone cracker not ten feet away.
Phiber Optik, Acid Phreak, and a third NYC scofflaw named Scorpion were raided by the Secret Service.
Katie Van Loon stands close by, between a citizen in an elephant suit, and a scofflaw who looks like a pirate.
They probably had expected to follow me around and catch some scofflaws when they got their marching orders from Ranger.
Having gaveled that enterprising young woman into her clothing and out of his courtroom, Judge Blick had settled down to year after year of ordinary drunks, thieves, wife beaters, non-supportive ex-husbands, traffic-ticket scofflaws and Army deserters, with nothing ever to attract his attention.
They probably had expected to follow me around and catch some scofflaws when they got their marching orders from Ranger.