scot

Everyday

1. A Scot is a person from Scotland. tree →
2. (history) The Scots were a people from Ireland who settled in western Scotland about 1,500 years ago and gave Scotland its name. tree →
3. "Scot-free" means without being punished or harmed; the old word "scot" meant a tax or payment. tree →

In the lessons

In geography and history lessons on the UK, a Scot is someone from Scotland, one of the four nations of the UK. Famous Scots include Robert the Bruce and Alexander Graham Bell. The everyday phrase "get off scot-free" has nothing to do with Scotland; it comes from not paying the "scot" tax.

Examples

• My uncle is a Scot from Glasgow. tree →
• The Scots won the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. tree →
• Mary Queen of Scots was a famous ruler. tree →
• The thief got off scot-free because nobody saw him. tree →
• A Scot invented the telephone: Alexander Graham Bell. tree →
• Many Scots wear a kilt at weddings. tree →
• The Scots were a people who came from Ireland long ago. tree →
• And yet Kai Lykke went scot-free." tree →

Note

Capital S for the person: a Scot, the Scots. Adjective for things from Scotland: Scottish. "Scotch" is used for whisky and some foods (Scotch egg); many Scots dislike being called "Scotch". "Scots" is also the name of a language spoken in Scotland. "Scot-free" is not about Scotland.