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rapscallion

rapscallion

5 9.9
A person who plays tricks and causes small trouble
  • noun
  • /ræpˈskæljən/
  • Archaic
: pícaro
  • In the neighborhood, he was known as a playful rapscallion who loved to prank the other kids.
  • a little rapscallion

Michael, known to his Yobo mates as Mikey, had proven himself to be something of a young rapscallion.

Examples

Synonyms

monkey
vsrapscallion
  • Informal
310 4.1

A playful child who likes to play tricks

is broader, applying to any age and focusing on light trouble
rogue
vsrapscallion
113 5.9

A person who behaves badly or dishonestly yet is often liked by others

is harmlessly playful rather than involving bad or dishonest acts
rascal
vsrapscallion
  • Informal
59 3.5

A person, often a child, who acts in a playful, naughty way

shares playfulness but stresses light-hearted rather than just cheeky acts
scamp
vsrapscallion
  • Informal
12 6.5

A person, often a child, who plays tricks and causes small trouble

is similar but not limited to children and focuses on light trouble
kidder
vsrapscallion
  • Informal
12 3.5

A person who jokes and teases others to make them laugh

leans more toward causing harmless trouble than just joking
imp
vsrapscallion
5 6.4

A child who plays tricks and behaves in a naughty way

keeps playful trouble but is less focused on naughtiness
hellion
vsrapscallion
  • Offensive
4 9.5

A child or young person who is noisy and badly behaved

is lighter in tone and less violently disruptive
cutup
vsrapscallion
  • Informal
4 6.9

A person who acts silly to make others laugh

involves causing mild trouble rather than primarily performing for laughs
zany
vsrapscallion
2 8.1

A person who acts in a funny, silly way to make people laugh

is mischief focused rather than purely silly or clownish
larrikin
vsrapscallion
  • Australian
1 9.6

A young person who is playful, noisy, and often breaks rules

shares mischief but is calmer and less boisterous
scalawag
vsrapscallion
  • Informal
1 8.7

A playful person, often a child, who causes harmless trouble

is the same idea but emphasizes gentle, not serious, trouble
japer
vsrapscallion
  • Archaic
8.8

A person who makes jokes to make others laugh

is more about mild troublemaking than straightforward entertaining
snipper-snapper
vsrapscallion
  • Offensive
9.9

A person, often young, who gossips and says rude things about others

involves playful troublemaking rather than verbal teasing or gossip

Antonyms

angel
  • Informal
507 1.0

A very kind person who helps others

492 3.9

A very holy, kind person often officially declared by the Church

How Mischievous

rapscallion
  • Archaic
5 9.9
imp
5 6.4
rascal
  • Informal
59 3.5

Surface Forms

rapscallion singular
rapscallions plural

Etymology

Rapscallion looks like a playful mix of the familiar word rascal and the word scallion, a green onion, and it may come from Italian rascalone meaning 'big rascal'. A helpful way to remember it is to picture a cheeky person who plays small tricks, which is why a rapscallion means a mischievous, playful troublemaker.