scot-free
scot-free
Variants
- scotch free
- scot free
- scott free
Meaning | Synonyms
- to be rid of all the blame (of something or incident)
- to be totally free from harm or punishment, obligation or restraint
- unpunished
- let off
- off the hook
- free of blame
- cleared
- guiltless
- free to go
- without punishment
Example Sentences
- The person went scot-free even though there were many people convinced of his crime because the evidence against him was circumstantial.
- She intends to get married only when her reputation is scot-free.
- I went scot-free even though it was me who was the mastermind of the mischief because my mother could never believe that her precious little one could do anything bad.
- She does not let her children scot-free when they are misbehaving and has different punishments for them every time.
- The accused thought he would go scot-free just because he had hired a big lawyer! But that did not happen for him.
- It does not matter if you go scot-free after committing a crime because your conscious will always know what happened and how.
- Jacob went scot-free in the trial even though he had admitted of his guilt. That was because the court of law also gives a chance to people so that they can improve.
Origin
The phrase ‘scot free' was originated from a medieval tax named “scot” in 14th century.
Paul Brians, the professor of English and Coordinator of Humanities at Washington State University explained the origin of the phrase in his book named “Common Errors in English Usage” published in 2008.
“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 allude to Dred Scott, the American slave who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom.
The phrase is “scot free”: no H, one T.