scot-free
Escaping all penalties
Scot-free means without penalty, punishment, or harm.
Someone who gets off scot-free escapes consequences they might reasonably have faced: The prosecutor bungled the case and the defendant went scot-free.
The scot was originally a medieval tax—to go scot-free was to avoid paying one's share.
Freedom from consequences
- acquittalFormal clearing of charges
- exonerationOfficial clearing of blame
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- pardonedFormally forgiven for offense
immunity · amnesty · clemency · reprieve · vindication · exculpation · clearance · discharge
Flight from captivity
- evadeEscape by cunning
- eludeSkillfully avoid capture
- slip awayDepart without detection
- dodgeAvoid by quick movement
avoid · sidestep · get away with · beat the rap · off the hook · wriggle out · duck · skirt
impunity
Freedom from consequences
- acquittalFormal clearing of charges
- exonerationOfficial clearing of blame
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
pardoned · immunity · amnesty · clemency · reprieve · vindication · exculpation · clearance · discharge · leniency
escape
Flight from captivity
dodge · avoid · sidestep · get away with · beat the rap · off the hook · wriggle out · duck · skirt · circumvent
unharmed
Not injured
uninjured · unmarked · unhurt · whole · safe · unaffected · spared · walked away · clean
- Old Idiomsbeyond the pale, hue and cry, knight in shining armor, eat humble pie, cross the Rubicon
- accountabilityaccountability, responsibility, accountable, take responsibility, answerability
scot-freepunished
Penalized for misbehavior
held accountable · penalized · convicted · brought to justice · sentenced
scot-freeon the hook
Bearing responsibility for something
paying the price · footing the bill · settling up · paying one's dues · burdened