Blackguard

A cynic is a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.

If I were not such a blackguard myself, I'd call you one, for your treatment of your wife.

She married an artist named Lyons, who came sketching on the moor. He proved to be a blackguard and deserted her.

No man in all Edos, save the King, is so powerful as he, nor is there a bigger blackguard within its walls.

1830, Thomas Macaulay, Review of Robert Southey's edition of Pilgrim's Progress, in the Edinburgh Review A man whose manners and sentiments are decidedly below those of his class deserves to be called a blackguard.

Pawn another man's property for the sake of a meal, eat and drink one's self to perdition, brand one's soul with the first little sear, set the first black mark against one's honour, call one's self a blackguard to one's own face, and needs must cast one's eyes down before one's self? Never! never!

2006, Jan Freeman, Blaggards' of the year – Boston Globe "Arrr, keelhaul the blaggards!" wrote Ty Burr in the Globe last summer, pronouncing sentence on the malefactors who brought us the second "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.

Persons who passed each other in boats upon the Thames used to blackguard each other, in a trial of wit

The Southern Region takes, in the main, a candid line with its public. […] An ill-informed attempt to blackguard the railway publicly is likely to see the complainant put politely—but very firmly—in his place.

And then the drink is very pleasant to us, and keeps up our spirits; for what could a woman in my position do without spirits, without being able to talk and blackguard and give every fellow she meets as good as he brings?