scandalous

Adjective

scandalous (comparative more scandalous, superlative most scandalous)

1. Of a thing: causing or having the nature of a scandal; regarded as so immoral or wrong as to be extremely disgraceful; despicable, shameful.
   • [S]omthing ſauors / Of Tyrannie, and vvill ignoble make you, / Yea, ſcandalous to the VVorld.c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
   • Maſters commands come vvith a povver reſiſtleſs / To ſuch as ovve them abſolute ſubjection; / And for a life vvho vvill not change his purpoſe? / (So mutable are all the vvays of men) / Yet this be ſure, in nothing to comply / Scandalous or forbidden in our Lavv.1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 83, lines...

   Synonyms:

   abject, filthy, base, beggarly, blameworthy, carrion, cheap, choical, contemptible, cringing

   Antonyms:

   nonscandalous, unscandalous

2. Of a person: delighted by scandal.
   • You are the stateliest deer in all the herd— / Beyond his aim—but I am small and scandalous, / And love to hear bad tales of Philip.1875, Alfred Tennyson, Queen Mary: A Drama, London: Henry S. King & Co., →OCLC, Act V, scene ii, pages 250–251
3. Of speech or writing: defamatory, malicious.
   • Theſe be the ſcandalous reportes of ſuch, / As loues not mee, and hate my Lord too much.c. 1587 (date written), [Thomas Kyd], The Spanish Tragedie: […] (Fourth Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for T[homas] Pauier, […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act III, signature K, recto
   • Shall vve thus permit / A blaſting and ſcandalous breath to fall, / On him ſo neere vs?c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

   Antonyms:

   nonscandalous, unscandalous

4. (figuratively) Exceeding reasonable limits; outrageous.
   • Day after day passed away without bringing any other tidings of him than the report which shortly prevailed in Meryton of his coming no more to Netherfield the whole winter; a report which highly incensed Mrs. Bennet, and which she never failed to contradict as a most scandalous falsehood.1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XXIII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 302
   • There was a blizzard on. The cold was something frightful. Made one quite thankful to get back to the fug, though as a rule I think the way these trains are overheated is something scandalous.1934, Agatha Christie, “The Evidence of Colonel Arbuthnot”, in Murder on the Orient Express (Great Reads Collection; Agatha Christie Collection), London: Planet Three Publishing Network, published...
5. (archaic, obsolete) Of a person: guilty of extremely disgraceful conduct or some misconduct; infamous; also, unfit for their office or position due to misconduct, etc.
   • [H]e vvas enabled [financially] to become charitable to the poor, and kind to his friends, and to make ſuch proviſion for his children, that they vvere not left ſcandalous, as relating to their or his Profeſſion and Quality.1670, Izaak Walton, “The Life of Dr. John Donne, Late Dean of St. Paul’s Church, London”, in The Lives of Dr. John Donne, Sir Henry Wotton, Mr. Richard Hooker, Mr. George Herbert. […], volume I...
   • [T]hey [Parliament] ſeemed inclinable to abate the renunciation of the Covenant, the aſſent and conſent to the diſpenſing vvith Ceremonyes, the reforming the Biſhops Courts, the taking avvay of Pluralityes, the rectifying of Excommunications, the puniſhing of ſcandalous Clergymen, and ſeverall...1668 March 26 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Andrew Marvell, “[Andrew Marvell’s Letters to the Corporation of Hull.] Letter LXV. Mr. Anthony Lambert, Mayor.”, in The Works of Andrew Marvell...
6. Of information, a statement, etc.: not pertinent to a matter; irrelevant, and bringing the court into disrepute.
   • Scandal may be taken advantage of at any time, impertinence not; if reported ſcandalous, it muſt be impertinent of courſe; but it may be impertinent vvithout being ſcandalous. […] [N]othing pertinent to the cauſe can be ſaid to be ſcandalous.1750 October 17 (date delivered), Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor, “Fenhoulet versus Passavant”, in Francis Vezey, editor, Cases Argued and Determined, in the High Court of...
   • A party who makes an affidavit to oppose a motion is only authorized to state the facts; and it is scandalous and impertinent to draw inferences or state arguments in the affidavit, reflecting on the character or impeaching the motives of the adverse party or his solicitor. Ibid. [Powell v. Kane, 5...1837, O[liver] L[orenzo] Barbour, E[benezer] B[urke] Harrington, “Practice. XXIII. Evidence.”, in An Analytical Digest of the Equity Cases Decided in the Courts of the Several States, and of the...
7. (obsolete) Causing offence or trouble.
   • [M]any Lavvs, in the change of ignorant and obſcure Ages, may be found both ſcandalous, and full of greevance to their Poſterity that made them, […]1649, J[ohn] Milton, “Intitl’d to the Prince of Wales”, in ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC, page 216
8. (obsolete, uncertain) Of a disease or symptom: putrid, rotting.
   • Theſe are the Ulcers vvhich render fiſtulæ ani [anal fistulas] ſcandalous. If the matter paſſeth in perineo, for the moſt part it perforates the Urethra, ſometime like a Flute, and the Urine cometh thereout, othertimes it corrupteth vvithin, and diſchargeth the putrefaction into the pelvis.1676, Richard Wiseman, “The First Book. A Treatise of Tumours. Chapter VI. Of the Ill Consequences of a Gonorrhœa Cured.”, in Severall Chirurgicall Treatises, London: […] E. Flesher and J. Macock...