GOOD-FOR-NOTHING
ADJECTIVES
► BADOUS weakly, good-for-nothing → 1908 Sc.
► BAGGAGE of persons: morally worthless, good-for-nothing, vile → 1580 obs.
► GAMMY good-for-nothing, idle, blundering → 1884 Eng. dial.
► GOOD TO NOUGHT good for nothing → 1875 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► HALF-NABS good-for-nothing; neither one thing nor another → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► HALFPENNY-WORTH a good-for-nothing or clownish fellow → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► HAND-ME-DOWN LOOKING worthless, good-for-nothing in appearance → 1895 Eng. dial.
► ILL-GOTTEN illegitimate; good-for-nothing → 1880 Sc.
► LEWD of persons, their actions, etc.: bad, vile, evil, wicked, base; unprincipled, ill-conditioned; good-for-nothing; worthless → c1386 obs.
► LOREL good-for-nothing → 1590 obs.
► LOSEL good-for-nothing, worthless → 1601 arch.
► LOSELLED good-for-nothing, worthless → 1606 obs.
► LOSELLY good-for-nothing, idle, lazy → 1611 obs.
► MEACHING ► MEECHING ► MICHING skulking, cringing; self-deprecating, obsequious; contemptible, useless, good-for-nothing → 1792 Eng. & Amer. dial.
► NAUGHTY valueless, good-for-nothing, insignificant, trifling; small and contemptible in appearance → 1835 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► NE’ER-DO-WELL good-for-nothing, worthless; incorrigible → a1773
► NO-ACCOUNT worthless; useless; good-for-nothing; insignificant; undependable, untrustworthy, criminal → 1845 Amer. dial.
► NO-COUNT worthless, lazy, shiftless; useless, good-for-nothing; insignificant, trivial → 1853 Amer. dial.
► NOT WORTH A PEWTER DAMN worthless or good for nothing → 1965 Amer. dial.
► NOT WORTH A PEWTER QUARTER worthless or good for nothing → 1965 Amer. dial.
► NOT WORTH A PEWTER’S BUTTON worthless or good for nothing → 1939 Amer. dial.
► NOT WORTH A TINKER’S DURN good for nothing → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► RAGABASH contemptible, mean, paltry; good-for-nothing → 1818 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► RAGAMUFF rough, beggarly, good-for-nothing, disorderly → 1591 obs.
► TAG-RAGLY good-for-nothing → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TALLOCKING idle, good-for-nothing; slovenly, untidy → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TRIFLING lazy, shiftless, inefficient, worthless, good-for-nothing → 1832 Amer. dial.
► WAFF of persons: vagabond-like, disreputable, worthless in character, good-for-nothing → 1788 Sc.
NOUNS – PERSON
► BAD EGG a worthless person; a ne’er-do-well; a good-for-nothing → 1847 sl.
► BADLING a worthless person; a good-for-nothing; a rascal; a scamp; a naughty child → c1600 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
► BAD-NAUGHT a worthless, good-for-nothing person → 1857 Eng. dial.
► BAD PENNY an unpleasant, untrustworthy person; a ne’er-do-well; a good-for-nothing → c1367
► BAGGAGE a woman of bad character; a worthless, good-for-nothing woman; a woman of disreputable or immoral life, a strumpet; a prostitute; an opprobrious epithet applied to women and children → 1603
► BATLAN a lazy person, a loafer, a good-for-nothing; a jobless person; an idler or someone unsuitable for any employment → 1982 Yiddish (Bk.)
► BEDYOW a lazy, good-for-nothing woman → 1929 Sc.
► BLACK-TAN a good-for-nothing person → 1888 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BREEL a worthless, good-for-nothing fellow → c1485 obs.
► BRETHEL a worthless fellow; a good-for-nothing wretch; a miserable wretch → c1440 obs.
► BROTHEL orig. a good-for-nothing man → 14C
► BUM a vagrant; a good-for-nothing → 1882
► BUMP ON A LOG a good-for-nothing person; a lazy, indolent person → 1990 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► CUMBER-GROUND anything utterly worthless and in people’s way; one that is good-for-nothing → 1657
► DAW a lazy, good-for-nothing person; a sluggard → c1460
► DHIRL a good-for-nothing person → 1900 N. Ireland (Bk.)
► DIRTRIE a collective term expressive of contempt, denoting despicable, good-for-nothing persons → 1900 Sc. (Bk.)
► DO-LESS a lazy or shiftless person; a good-for-nothing; a very silly or light-headed person → 1965 Amer. dial.
► DO-NAUGHT a person who does nothing, an idler; also, one who does no good, a good-for-nothing → 1594 arch.
► DRUTTLE a useless, good-for-nothing person → 19C Sc.
► DULLAMOO a wasteful or good-for-nothing person → 1910 Ireland (Bk.)
► FEISTER a good-for-nothing → 1958 Amer. dial.
► FIZZLE a good-for-nothing person → 1896
► GALLOWS-ROGUE a jailbird, a rascal; a good-for-nothing → 1894 Eng. dial.
► GALLOWS-TAG a jailbird, a rascal; a good-for-nothing → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► GALLOWS-TANG a jailbird, a rascal; a good-for-nothing → 1887 Eng. dial.
► GALLUS TAG a good-for-nothing; a rascal → 1886 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► GIT a fool, an idiot, a dolt; a worthless person, a good-for-nothing → 1858
► GLAIK a silly, light-headed, frivolous, or thoughtless person, esp. a girl or woman; an idle, good-for-nothing person → 1814 Sc., derogatory
► HACKSLAVER a dirty, slovenly fellow; an idle, dissolute, good-for-nothing man; a disgusting and silly fellow → 1790 Eng. dial.
► HAINGLE an idle, loutish fellow; a lazy, slovenly good-for-nothing → 1791 Sc.
► HALLION a term of contempt; a low or scurvy fellow; a coarse, idle, worthless fellow; a blackguard; a contemptible person; a good-for-nothing idler; a rascal, a clown, a clumsy fellow → 1787 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
► HALLOCKIT a noisy, restless person; a romp, a hoyden; a fool, a good-for-nothing, a worthless person → 1787 Sc.
► HANGEREL ► HANGRELL a lazy, idle, good-for-nothing person; a hanger-on → 1805 Eng. dial.
► HANG-GALLOWS a gallows-bird, one ripe for the gallows; a lazy, good-for-nothing or worthless fellow; a villain → 1790
► HANGY-BANGY a big, lazy fellow; a good-for-nothing → 1893 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► HANIEL ► HANNIEL a lout; a lazy, awkward, good-for-nothing fellow; a worthless, mischievous person; a general term of abuse → 1783 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► HANZIEL an idle, loutish fellow; a lazy, slovenly good-for-nothing → 1791 Sc.
► HARLIWALLET ► HARLWALLET a slattern, a good-for-nothing woman → 1827 Sc.
► HARRIGOAD ► HARRY-GAUD a wild, wanton girl or child; a run-about, flighty or good-for-nothing person → 1721 Eng. dial.
► HILDING a contemptible, worthless person of either sex; a good-for-nothing → 1601 arch.
► HIPEL ► HIPPLE a term of contempt for anyone; a good-for-nothing fellow → 1824 Sc.
► HULLION a clown; a clumsy fellow; a good-for-nothing idle scamp; a sloven; a rascal → 1789 Sc. & Ireland
► JACK SHIT a worthless good-for-nothing → 20C sl.
► KEESO a lazy, good-for-nothing sort of person → 1929 Sc.
► LALLYGAG ► LOLLYGAG a wastrel, a wasteful or good-for-nothing person; an irresponsible person → 1940s sl.
► LATIN a rascal, a good-for-nothing → a1860 Sc.
► LUSK an idle, lazy, slothful, good-for-nothing fellow; a sluggard → c1420 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► MOCCA an uncouth person; a good-for-nothing → 2003 Aust. sl.
► MOLDWARP ► MOULDWARP a stupid, worthless, or good-for-nothing person; a senseless person; a dolt → 1928 Amer. dial.
► MORTWORP a stupid, worthless, or good-for-nothing person; a senseless person; a dolt → c1938 Amer. dial.
► MYRON a good-for-nothing → a1450 obs., derogatory
► NE’ER-BE-GOOD a ne’er-do-well; a good-for-nothing, disreputable, or worthless person → 1675
► NE’ER-DO-GOOD ► NEVER-DO-GOOD a ne’er-do-well; a good-for-nothing, disreputable, or worthless person → 1814
► NE’ER-DO-WELL one who never does, and is never likely to do, well; a good-for-nothing, worthless, disreputable person → 1737
► NE’ER-THRIFT a good-for-nothing or worthless person → c1440 obs.
► NIX a good-for-nothing → 1916 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► NO-GOODER a bad person; a good-for-nothing → 1928 US sl.
► OIL CAN a useless person; a good-for-nothing → 1922 US sl.
► OMADAUN a stupid person; a simpleton, a fool; a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow → 1843 Ireland
► ONDOCHT a poor, weakly, emaciated person or animal; a good-for-nothing → a1838 Sc.
► PIDDELER ► PIDDLER a trifler; an idle, worthless person; a good-for-nothing → 1779 Amer. dial.
► PIKE a poor White person; a good-for-nothing → 1856 Amer. dial.
► PIKER a vagrant, a tramp, a good-for-nothing → 1838 sl., derogatory
► PREKE ► PREKY a good-for-nothing; an ill-kempt, dirty, slovenly man → 1940s W. Indies
► PUKER a good-for-nothing → 19C Shrewsbury School colloq.
► RACAPELT a good-for-nothing; a disreputable fellow; an idle rascal → 1852 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► RAGABASH a good-for-nothing; a ragamuffin → 1609 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
► RAGABRASH a low rascal; an idle vagabond; a good-for-nothing; a ragamuffin → 1718 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► RAGABUS a good-for-nothing; a ragamuffin → 1718 Sc.
► RAGABUSH a good-for-nothing; a ragamuffin → 1718 Sc.
► RAGAPELT ► RAGBELT ► RAGBILD a ragged person; an idle, good-for-nothing person → 1866 Sc.
► RALLACK a roving character; an idle good-for-nothing → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► RAMSHACK a good-for-nothing fellow → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► RANNAGANT a wild, loose-living person; a good-for-nothing → 1832 Sc.
► RAP-A-TAG a dissipated, good-for-nothing fellow; a ne’er-do-well → 1887 Eng. dial.
► SART-POLL ► SATE-POLL a foolish, weak person; one easily imposed upon; a good-for-nothing fellow → 1867 Eng. dial.
► SCALAWAG ► SCALLAWAG ► SCALLOWAG ► SCALLYWAG ► SKALAWAG ► SKALLAWAG a rogue; a rascal; a scamp; a good-for-nothing; a deceiver → 1848 Amer. dial.
► SCALLYWAMPUS a humorous good-for-nothing → 1933 US sl. (Bk.)
► SCAMP a good-for-nothing, worthless person, a ne’er-do-well, a rascal → 1808
► SCANT O’ GRACE a wild, disorderly, graceless fellow; a good-for-nothing; a scapegrace; a reprobate → 1718 Sc.
► SCAPEGRACE a man or boy of reckless and disorderly habits; a careless, idle, harebrained fellow; a graceless, good-for-nothing fellow; a ne’er-do-well; a complete rogue or rascal; a habitually unscrupulous person; a scamp (rarely applied to a female) → 1809
► SCART a contemptible, good-for-nothing, scurvy fellow; a mean, niggardly person → 1825 Sc.
► SHABAROON a mean-spirited person; a disreputable person; a good-for-nothing; a ragamuffin; a ragged person → a1700 sl. obs.
► SHACK a tramp; a bum; a vagabond; a good-for-nothing; a shiftless fellow → 1828 Amer. dial.
► SKEESICK ► SKEESUCKS ► SKEEZACKS ► SKEEZECKS ► SKEEZICKS ► SKEEZIX a mean, contemptible fellow; a rascal; a good-for-nothing; a worthless fellow; a mischievous child → 1850 Amer. dial.
► SKUNK an unpleasant or despicable person; a vile or good-for-nothing fellow → 1841 sl.
► SOONER a weak idler; a lazy good-for-nothing → 1892 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► SPALPEEN a disagreeable, miserable, or contemptible person; a low, mean, or good-for-nothing fellow; a worthless person; a rogue, a rascal, a scamp → 1815 Irish
► STRACKLE-BRAIN a giddy, thoughtless person; a simpleton, a fool; a good-for-nothing → 1877 Eng. dial.
► TAGGELT a ragged, dirty person; a vagabond; an idle good-for-nothing or disreputable person; a rascal, scamp → 1878 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TAGIT a ragged, dirty person; a vagabond; an idle good-for-nothing or disreputable person; a rascal, scamp → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TAISTREL ► TAYSTREL a rascal; a scoundrel; a good-for-nothing; a worthless or disorderly person; a peevish character; a contemptible person; a term of great contempt → 1873 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TALLACK ► TALLOCK a good-for-nothing, idle person; a ragamuffin; a slatternly woman → 1889 Eng. dial.
► TALLOCKER a good-for-nothing, idle person; a ragamuffin; a slatternly woman → 1889 Eng. dial.
► TASHEL ► TASSEL ► TASSIL a good-for-nothing man or woman; a drunkard; a slovenly woman; a troublesome child → 1790 Eng. dial.
► TASSOCK a good-for-nothing person → 1887 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► UNTHRIFT a good-for-nothing person; a thriftless squanderer → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► VAGABOND a disreputable or worthless person; an idle, good-for-nothing fellow; a rascal or rogue → 1686
► VAGGOT a ‘faggot’; a term of contempt applied to women and children; a slattern, a worthless or good-for-nothing woman → 1888 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► VAGRANT a disreputable or worthless person; an idle, good-for-nothing fellow; a rascal or rogue → 1452
► VAUNEANT a good-for-nothing person → 1621 obs.
► VAURIEN a worthless, good-for-nothing fellow; a scamp → 1825
► VAUT RIEN a worthless, good-for-nothing fellow; a scamp → 1868
► WAFER a wastrel, a good-for-nothing → 1894 Sc.
► WAFFINGER a vagabond, a worthless, good-for-nothing person; a ne’er-do-well → 1825 Sc.
► WAFFIPOKE a vagabond; a worthless, good-for-nothing person → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► WAFFLES a loafer; an idle, sauntering person; a good-for-nothing; one who hesitates or vacillates; a weak, undecided person → 1855 (Bk.)
► WALLIDRAG ► WALLYDRAG a worthless person, a wretch, a wastrel, a good-for-nothing; a slovenly, untidy, dishevelled person → 1754 Sc.
► WALLIDRAGGLE ► WALLYDRAGGLE a worthless person, a wretch, a wastrel, a good-for-nothing; a slovenly, untidy, dishevelled person → 1754 Sc.
► WANGWARD a good-for-nothing; a worthless person → 1893 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► WANWAIRD ► WANWEARD a good-for-nothing; a worthless person → 1855 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► WANWAY a good-for-nothing, profligate, worthless person → 1893 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YELDIN a good-for-nothing woman → 1888 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► ZEPHYR a good-for-nothing person → 1949 Sc.
► ZOB a good-for-nothing; a contemptible person; a weak person → 1911 US sl.
Lexicophilia 