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Deadbeat
Definitions
- 1 Having a damped needle that stops without oscillation. not-comparable
- 2 Defaulting on one's debts. not-comparable
- 3 Defeated or exhausted. not-comparable
- 4 Lazy or irresponsible. derogatory, not-comparable
- 5 Dead tired. not-comparable
- 1 A lazy or irresponsible person who is often unemployed, often depending upon wealthy or otherwise financially independent people for support. derogatory
- 2 someone who fails to meet a financial obligation wordnet
- 3 A person who defaults on debts.
"2016 Eric Andrew-Gee Why and how Ontarians change their names in the 21st century The Globe and Mail With a few exceptions, all those changes were published in the Ontario Gazette, a little-read compendium of government business that comes out every week. The province requires this by law, as do most Canadian jurisdictions, nominally to thwart fraudsters and deadbeats."
Etymology
From dead + beat. As an adjective, of a person, to be exhausted, first use appears c. the 1820s. During the American Civil War, it also became a derogatory adjective, in the sense of "a person that defaults on their debts or avoids responsibilities" and "sponger", "vagabond". This sense dates from c. 1863. Possibly related to good for nothing.
From dead + beat. As an adjective, of a person, to be exhausted, first use appears c. the 1820s. During the American Civil War, it also became a derogatory adjective, in the sense of "a person that defaults on their debts or avoids responsibilities" and "sponger", "vagabond". This sense dates from c. 1863. Possibly related to good for nothing.
See also for "deadbeat"
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