perp

perp
 n.— «I…drew up near a large man in a red shirt, who was holding an ugly looking, short ear bull pup by the collar.…Blood was on the ground, and both dogs were bleeding when I came up. “I’ll bet yer ten ounces ter two thet this perp is the boss,” said the young fellow.» —“Only An Adventure” by F.O. Van Galder Southern Immigrant (Cullman, Ala.) Oct. 3, 1878. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

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Further reading

Stub Your Toe (episode #1606)

Advice about college essays from the winner of a top prize for children’s literature: Kelly Barnhill encourages teens to write about experiences that are uniquely their own, from a point of view that is theirs and no one else’s. Plus, why do we say...

If Grandma Had Wheels (episode #1603)

While compiling the Oxford English Dictionary, lexicographer James Murray exchanged hundreds of letters a week with authors, advisors, and volunteer researchers. A new collection online lets you eavesdrop on discussions about which words should be...