bad egg

a bad egg

A dishonest or ill-behaved person. Primarily heard in US. We could tell he was a bad egg even at a young age.
See also: bad, egg
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

bad egg

An individual who turns out to be rotten, as in You can't trust him-he's simply a bad egg. Although egg had been used for various kinds of person (young, good, bad) since Shakespeare's day, this transfer of a seemingly wholesome food that, when opened, turns out to be rotten took place only in the mid-1800s. An early definition appeared in The Atheneum of 1864: "A bad egg ... a fellow who had not proved to be as good as his promise." In contrast, the schoolyard saying Last one in is a rotten egg does not have any special significance other than as a way of urging others to join an activity, jump in the water, or the like. Also see good egg.
See also: bad, egg
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

bad egg

n. a repellent person. You’re not such a bad egg after all.
See also: bad, egg
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • a bad egg
  • bad trot
  • as bad as all that
  • have a bad opinion of (someone or something)
  • have a good, bad, high, low, etc. opinion of somebody/something
  • be downhill all the way
  • downhill all the way
  • it's the story of my life
  • story of my life, the
  • (it's/that's the) story of my life
References in periodicals archive
Have you ever heard of a captain who's a bad egg? Me neither.
Bruce made me scapegoat but I am not a bad influence & I'm out to prove myself all over again at Well; STRIKER GLAD TO BE BACK MOTHERWELL Loan star McCormack opens up on rammy with his ex-Villa gaffer
But if I was seen as a bad egg then I must have been the quietest one the game has ever seen and I'd find the accusation quite bizarre.
Bad eggs stink but the cliques are really rotten; RAMSEY'S JOB MADE SO DIFFICULT
EDWINA CURRIE: Failed to spot Jimmy Savile as a bad egg.
Establishment is in need of a makeover
There's not a bad egg in this collection, even the deluxe edition, with three extra tracks, has no album fodder.
CD REVIEW
We're all hoping he doesn't turn out to be another bad egg. But he seems genuine."
Is Kerry's new man a sponger?
"If you have one bad egg in your dressing room and a few sympathetic ears, you have a problem.
Football: SOUEY: I'M A FAILURE; But he'll get it right by booting out Toon misfits...starting with bad boy Bowyer
EMPLOYEES with "bad egg" bosses are losing out over the Easter weekend, warns a Midlands trade union leader.
Workers fall prey to 'bad egg' bosses
About the only way to spot a bad egg now is to crack it open and culture the yolk, a process that takes about a day--and spoils the egg.
Device sounds out salmonella-infected eggs
"We have a fantastic group of lads and there's not one bad egg in the dressing room.
PRESTON AIM IS TO MAX OUT
Tiote's prolonged absence led to whispers of discontent behind the scenes, before last month accusations were made in the national media that the Ivorian was a 'bad egg' and 'poison' in the Newcastle dressing room.
Full throttle Tiote raring to go again
But there wasn't a bad egg in this show and unlike many of the gigs my daughter and grandkids go to, it was all live and the voices are still going strong.
Stage Review; ONCE IN A LIFETIME
"When you have one bad egg in a dressing room and several sympathetic ears then you have a problem.
Football: SOUEY BLASTS BAD BOYS
No, it doesn't think all jockeys are criminals, but that doesn't mean there may not be the odd bad egg who is willing to break the rules for his/her own gains.
Letters: Mobiles ruling should be seen as a step forward
"I don't know exactly what has gone on but I can't imagine Kenny being a bad egg and it's embarrassing the way it has dragged on.
what's the crack with kenny? SEMI-FINAL COUNTDOWN EXCLUSIVE Miller's pal Lee calls for Ibrox boss Pedro to give some clarity to the frontman's situation
"But there's a bad egg in the side - and let's be blatantly honest, Kevin Pietersen is a bad egg.
Pietersen 'a bad egg', claims Cork