Meaning

3 senses
  1. (historical)The lowest servant in a household charged with pots, pans, and other kitchen equipment.

  2. (dated)An unprincipled, contemptible person; an untrustworthy person.

  3. (archaic)A man who uses foul language in front of a woman (typically a woman of high standing).

More definitions
  • someone who is morally reprehensible

Examples

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

    Аби я не був такий же самий, то сказав би, що ти поводишся зі своєю жінкою як справжня сволота.

    CC BY · Tatoeba · pinaxe · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem
  2. A cynic is a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.

    deEin Zyniker ist ein Mensch, der die Dinge so sieht, wie sie sind, und nicht, wie sie sein sollten.

    CC BY · Tatoeba · Dejo · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem
  3. She married an artist named Lyons, who came sketching on the moor. He proved to be a blackguard and deserted her.

    CC BY · Tatoeba · Hybrid · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem
  4. No man in all Edos, save the King, is so powerful as he, nor is there a bigger blackguard within its walls.

    CC0 · Tatoeba · Cangarejo · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Origin

From black + guard, thought to have referred originally to the scullions and lower menials

From black + guard, thought to have referred originally to the scullions and lower menials of a court, or of a nobleman's household, who wore black liveries or blacked shoes and boots, or were often stained with soot.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

blackguard — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto