William Blake

He who would do good to another must do it in Minute Particulars: general Good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite, and flatterer, for Art and Science cannot exist but in minutely organized Particulars.

English Poet

Joseph de Maistre

I don't know what a scoundrel is like, but I know what a respectable man is like, and it's enough to make one's flesh creep.

French Diplomat

Vladimir Lenin

There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel.

Russian Leader

Douglas MacArthur

I've looked that old scoundrel death in the eye many times but this time I think he has me on the ropes.

American General

Rush Limbaugh

I've always believed in the old-fashioned way: When you've got scoundrels in office, you vote 'em out.

American Entertainer

Lillian Hellman

Truth made you a traitor as it often does in a time of scoundrels.

American Dramatist

Georges Jacques Danton

In revolutions authority remains with the greatest scoundrels.

French Revolutionary

Heywood Broun

A technical objection is the first refuge of a scoundrel.

American Journalist

Samuel Johnson

Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

English Writer

George Bernard Shaw

Irish Playwright

Scoundrel is always negative, suggesting that the person is not just bad, but also tricky or deceitful.

Negative Connotation

In historical or classic literature, 'scoundrel' is often used to describe deceitful men with no honor.

Historical Use

While it's not vulgar, 'scoundrel' is informal and might not be suitable in a professional context.

Informal Speech

 if the box has that many. But if your number is greater than the number of rubies actually there, the scoundrel gets to keep the entire box. The king puts just two constraints on how the scoundrel distributes his rubies.