scarper
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Chiefly in scarper the letty: to depart quickly or run away from (a place); to flee.
Register: dated, slang
Examples
We were in debt with the landlady, and Joe and I had decided that none of us should be allowed to "scarper the letty," which means to sneak out of the lodgings without paying. The good lady might have to wait for her money—that was obvious—but we were stuck in Manchester until we could pay and get e
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To depart quickly; to escape, to flee, to run away.
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “scarper” mean?
Chiefly in scarper the letty: to depart quickly or run away from (a place); to flee.
Is “scarper” formal or informal?
scarper is generally dated, slang.