Etymology
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scamp (n.)

1782, "highway robber," probably from dialectal verb scamp "to roam" (1753, perhaps from 16c.), shortened from scamper. Used affectionately in sense "rascal" since 1808.

scamp (v.)

"do in a hasty manner," 1837, perhaps from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse skemma "to shorten, make shorter," from skammr "short; brief; lately"), or a blend of scant and skimp [Klein], or a back-formation from scamper. Related: Scamped; scamping.

Entries linking to scamp

scamper (v.)
"to run quickly," 1680s, probably from Flemish schampeeren, frequentative of schampen "run away," from Old North French escamper (Old French eschamper) "to run away, flee, quit the battlefield, escape," from Vulgar Latin *excampare "decamp," literally "leave the field," from Latin ex campo, from ex "out of" (see ex-) + campo, ablative of campus "field" (see campus). A vogue word late 17c. Related: Scampered; scampering. The noun is 1680s, from the verb.
scant (adj.)
mid-14c., from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr "short, brief," from Proto-Germanic *skamma- (source also of Old English scamm "short," Old High German skemmen "to shorten"), perhaps ultimately "hornless," from PIE *kem- (1) "hornless" (see hind (n.)). Also in Middle English as a noun, "scant supply, scarcity," from Old Norse. As a verb and adverb from mid-15c.

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Definitions of scamp
1
scamp (v.)
perform hastily and carelessly;
2
scamp (n.)
one who is playfully mischievous;
Synonyms: imp / monkey / rascal / rapscallion / scalawag / scallywag
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near scamp

scalp

scalpel

scalper

scaly

scam

scamp

scamper

scampi

scan

scandal

scandalise

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