deadbeat

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Pronunciation

• (British) IPA: /ˈdɛdbiːt/

Noun

deadbeat (plural deadbeats)

1. (pejorative) A lazy and/or irresponsible person who is often unemployed, often depending upon wealthy or otherwise financially independent people for support.
   • 2016 Eric Andrew-Gee Why and how Ontarians change their names in the 21st century ↗ The Globe and Mail

     With a few exceptions, all those changes were published in the Ontario Gazette, a little-read compendium of government business that comes out every week. The province requires this by law, as do most Canadian jurisdictions, nominally to thwart fraudsters and deadbeats.

2. A person who defaults on debts.

Related terms

• fraudster

Synonyms

• (lazy person) see Thesaurus:idler
• (person who defaults on debts) shirker, welcher

Translations

• German: Faulpelz, Gammler, Schnorrer
• Spanish: incumplidor, fracasado, holgazán

Adjective

deadbeat (not comparable)

1. (of an instrument) having a damped needle that stops without oscillation
2. defaulting on one's debts
3. defeated or exhausted
4. (pejorative) lazy or irresponsible
5. dead tired

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