Standard Lemma guide

scot-free

adj · adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌskɒtˈfɹi/
  • US: /ˌskɑtˈfɹi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iː

1

adj

Meaning 1

Free of scot, free of tax.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Without consequences or penalties, free without payment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, not-comparable

Examples

  • to get off scot-free

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English scotfre, from Old English scotfrēo (“scot-free; exempt from royal tax or imposts”), equivalent to scot (“payment; contribution; fine”) + -free.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: veroton — free of scot; free of tax
  • French: dégrevé — free of scot; free of tax
  • French: détaxé — free of scot; free of tax
  • German: steuerfrei — free of scot; free of tax
  • Russian: беспошлинно (bespošlinno) — free of scot; free of tax
  • Spanish: desgravado — free of scot; free of tax
  • Afrikaans: skotvry — without consequences or penalties
  • Bulgarian: безнаказан (beznakazan) — without consequences or penalties
  • Finnish: rangaistuksetta — without consequences or penalties
  • Finnish: kuin koira veräjästä — without consequences or penalties
  • French: en douce — without consequences or penalties
  • French: ni vu ni connu — without consequences or penalties
  • German: ungeschoren — without consequences or penalties
  • German: ungestraft — without consequences or penalties
  • German: straffrei — without consequences or penalties
  • Hungarian: sértetlenül — without consequences or penalties
  • Hungarian: bántódás nélkül — without consequences or penalties
  • Hungarian: büntetlenül — without consequences or penalties
  • Icelandic: (unharmed) öskaddaður — without consequences or penalties
  • Icelandic: (unharmed) ómeiddur — without consequences or penalties
  • Icelandic: slysalaust — without consequences or penalties
  • Icelandic: ókeypis — without consequences or penalties
  • Icelandic: sleppa með skrekkinn — without consequences or penalties
  • Polish: rozchodzić się po kościach — without consequences or penalties
  • Polish: rozejść się po kościach — without consequences or penalties
  • Russian: безнаказанно (beznakazanno) — without consequences or penalties
  • Scots: hailscart — without consequences or penalties
  • Spanish: impune — without consequences or penalties
  • Spanish: de rositas — without consequences or penalties
  • Swedish: strafflös — without consequences or penalties