Definition

Noun: - A person considered to be a criminal or scoundrel who deserves the punishment of hanging by the gallows.

Usage

The term "gallows bird" is a dated, informal, and highly critical label. It is used to express strong moral condemnation, suggesting the individual's actions are so wicked that they merit execution. It often implies a history of serious wrongdoing.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily historical or literary, evoking a time when capital punishment by hanging was more common. Its use in modern contexts is typically for dramatic or rhetorical effect.
• It can be used metaphorically to express extreme disapproval, even when literal hanging is not in question.

Variants and Related Words

• Gallows (noun): a structure used for execution by hanging.
• Gallows humor (noun): grim or ironic humor in a desperate or hopeless situation.

Synonyms

• Rogue
• Villain
• Scoundrel
• Criminal
• Miscreant

Idioms and Related Phrases

• To have a gallows look: To have an appearance that suggests one is fit for the gallows or is a criminal.
  • With his shifty eyes, people said he had a gallows look.

Noun

1. a person who deserves to be hanged