scum bag

Thân thiện

A man in a dark alley is known as a scum bag by the local shopkeepers.

Definition

Noun: A person who is considered to be very unpleasant, dishonest, or morally reprehensible. The term expresses strong contempt and disgust.

Usage

"Scumbag" is a highly offensive slang term used as a direct insult. It labels someone as being of low moral character. It is typically used in informal, angry, or confrontational speech and is considered vulgar.

Examples

• He turned out to be a scumbag who stole money from his own family.
• I can't believe she's dating that scumbag after how he treated her.
• The politician was revealed to be a corrupt scumbag.

Advanced Usage / Nuances

• The term originated as a vulgar reference to a used condom but is now almost exclusively used as a general insult for a despicable person.
• Its intensity makes it unsuitable for polite or formal conversation. Using it can escalate conflict.
• It is often used to express betrayal, as in the examples, where the person's actions violate trust or basic decency.

Variants and Related Words

• Scum (noun): A layer of dirt or froth on a liquid; used figuratively to refer to people considered the most worthless part of society (e.g., "the scum of the earth").
• Scummy (adjective): Covered with scum; figuratively meaning despicable or unpleasant.

Synonyms

• Jerk (less vulgar)
• Creep
• Rat (as in the reference example: "kill the rat")
• Bum (as in the reference example: "throw the bum out")
• Git (British slang, as noted in the reference)
• Rotter (archaic, as in the reference: "only a rotter would do that")
• Puke (vulgar slang, as in the reference: "you cowardly little pukes!")

Idioms / Fixed Phrases

• Scum of the earth: An idiom for people considered the most contemptible and worthless in society. "Scumbag" is a more individualized version of this concept.
  • The traffickers were described as the scum of the earth.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
   • only a rotter would do that
   • kill the rat
   • throw the bum out
   • you cowardly little pukes!
   • the British call a contemptible person a `git'