scot-free Look up scot-free at Dictionary.com
Old English scotfreo "exempt from royal tax," from scot "royal tax," from Old Norse skot "contribution, reckoning, shot" + freo (see free). Related to Old English sceotan "to pay, contribute," Dutch schot, German Schoß "tax, contribution" (see shot). Old French escot (French écot) "share" is from Germanic.