rogue
pronunciation
How to pronounce rogue in British English:
UK [rəʊg]
How to pronounce rogue in American English:
US [roʊg]
-
- Noun:
- a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
Word Origin
- rogue
- rogue: [16] Rogue originated as a thieves’ slang term for a ‘vagrant’ in the mid-16th century. It is not clear where it came from, but one suggestion is that it was derived from the contemporary slang term roger ‘beggar who pretended to be a poor university student in order play on people’s feelings’. This was based on Latin rogāre ‘ask’, source of English interrogate, prerogative, etc.
- rogue (n.)
- 1560s, "idle vagrant," perhaps a shortened form of roger (with a hard -g-), thieves' slang for a begging vagabond who pretends to be a poor scholar from Oxford or Cambridge, which is perhaps an agent noun in English from Latin rogare "to ask." Another theory [Klein] traces it to Celtic (compare Breton rog "haughty"); OED says, "There is no evidence of connexion with F. rogue 'arrogant.' " In playful or affectionate use, "one who is mischievous," 1590s. Meaning "large wild beast living apart from the herd" is from 1859, originally of elephants. Meaning "something uncontrolled or undisciplined" is from 1964. Also common in 17c. as a verb. Rogue's gallery "police collection of mug shots" is attested from 1859.
Example
- 1. Rogue traders have a better record of self-control .
- 2. These are not rogue or clueless hr reps .
- 3. Overnight , the us was cast as a rogue nation .
- 4. They worry about giving rogue officers a convenient tool for racial profiling .
- 5. Rogue states get to steal other people 's books with impunity .