Scot-free (adverb)

  1. Without paying a cost or penalty.
  2. Without suffering any consequences.
  3. Free from obligation.

Origin:

From middle english 'scot' (tax), ultimately from old english 'sceot' (shot, payment), and 'freo' (free).

Examples:

  1. After his lawyer got him off scot-free, he continued his criminal activities.
  2. The thieves made a clean escape and got away scot-free.
  3. She broke the vase, but got away scot-free because nobody noticed.
  4. I was hoping to get away scot-free after the test was cancelled, but the teacher gave us a different assignment.
  5. The company was hoping to avoid paying taxes altogether and to get off scot-free.
Some random words: unemployed, unbend, scabrous