scandalous

adjective

1. 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.

   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.

   As the vvhole buſineſs, in vvhich the Courts uſually take an intereſt, goes on at preſent equally vvell, in vvhatever hands, vvhether high or lovv, vviſe or fooliſh, ſcandalous or reputable; there is nothing to hold it firm to any one body of men, or to any one conſiſtent scheme of politicks.

   "I have heard something of such a matter," said the Glover, "and was this instant setting forth to Kinfauns, to plead my innocence of this scandalous charge, to ask your lordship's counsel, and to implore your protection."

2. 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.

3. 3

   Of speech or writing: defamatory, malicious.

   Theſe be the ſcandalous reportes of ſuch, / As loues not mee, and hate my Lord too much.

   Shall vve thus permit / A blaſting and ſcandalous breath to fall, / On him ſo neere vs?

   He has a Humour more prevailing than his Curioſity, and vvill vvillingly diſpence vvith the hearing of one ſcandalous Story, to avoid giving an occaſion to make another by being ſeen to vvalk vvith his VVife.

   Nay, the moſt ſcandalous Tongues have never dared cenſure my Reputation.

4. 4

   figurativeExceeding 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.

   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.

5. 5

   archaicOf 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.

   [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 things of this nature, […]

   [T]he Houſe of Peers had aſſign'd him ſuch Council as he deſired, to aſſiſt him in matter of Lavv (vvhich never vvas, or can juſtly be denied to the moſt ſcandalous Felon, the moſt inhuman Murtherer, or the moſt infamous Traitor) […]

6. 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.

   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 Paige, 265.]

7. 7

   obsoleteCausing 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, […]

8. 8

   obsoleteOf 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.

Forms

comparative

more scandalous

superlative

most scandalous