losel

plural losels · alternative lozel · alternative lozell

1. archaicA worthless or despicable person, scoundrel.

   And, losel, thou art worthy to be hang'd.

   c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

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   Dowtles such losels Make the churche to be In smale auctoryte; […]

   c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 65, lines 138–140

   The whiles a losell wandring by the way, / One that to bountie neuer cast his mind, / Ne thought of honour euer did assay […].

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

   These thousand straight-standing firm-set individuals, who shoulder arms, who march, wheel, advance, retreat; and are, for your behoof, a magazine charged with fiery death, in the most perfect condition of potential activity: few months ago, till the persuasive sergeant came, what were they? Multiform ragged losels, runaway apprentices, starved weavers, thievish valets […]

   1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “III, The One Institution”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book IV (Horoscope)

   Not since I backed a horse have I been pressed so hard; peril of life, jeopardy of land and livelihood, and to sum up, all these losels in the wood to hunt me down.

   1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Chapter 7, The Hooded Face”, in The Black Arrow

   Lots of folk live on their wits: / Lecturers, lispers, / Losels, loblolly-men, louts— / They don't end up as paupers; […]

   1954, Philip Larkin, Toads

   Synonyms: lidderon

comparative more losel · superlative most losel · alternative lozel · alternative lozell

1. Worthless; wasteful.