scot free
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adverb: - Completely free from punishment, harm, or any negative consequence: To escape or be released without any penalty, payment, or injury. The term often implies that punishment or retribution was expected but successfully avoided.
Usage
The adverb "scot-free" is used to describe a situation where someone avoids a penalty, danger, or obligation they deserved or were expected to face. It is almost always used after verbs like "go," "escape," "get off," or "walk away." - It modifies the action of the verb to mean "without any cost or penalty."
Examples
- Adverb:
- Despite the evidence, the corrupt official went scot-free. (He was not punished.)
- The company polluted the river but got off scot-free because of a legal loophole. (The company avoided fines or penalties.)
- She broke the vase and walked away scot-free while her brother got blamed. (She escaped blame or consequences.)
Advanced Usage
- "to escape scot-free": To get away without any negative consequences.
- The thieves managed to escape scot-free.
- "to get off scot-free": To avoid punishment, especially in a legal or disciplinary context.
- He was caught speeding but got off scot-free with just a warning.
Variants and Related Words
- Scot (noun, historical): This is the etymological root. Historically, a "scot" was a tax or payment. "Scot-free" literally meant not having to pay a tax. The modern meaning has expanded to avoiding any kind of "payment" in the form of punishment.
- Unpunished (adjective): This is a close conceptual synonym but is an adjective, not an adverb. (e.g., )
Synonyms
- Without punishment
- Unscathed (often used for physical harm)
- With impunity
Related Phrases
- "To get away with (something)": This phrasal verb has a very similar meaning to "get off scot-free."
- He got away with cheating on the test.
- "To slip through the net": To avoid being caught or stopped by a system designed to catch you.
- A few errors slipped through the net and were published.
Related Idioms
- "Home free": To be past the main danger or difficulty and assured of success. While similar in the sense of escaping trouble, "home free" focuses on the final safe outcome, whereas "scot-free" focuses on the avoidance of penalty.
- Once we passed the final checkpoint, we were home free.
Adverb
- free from harm or penalty
- he went scot-free