I. ˈskamp, -aa(ə)mp, -aimp noun
( -s )
Etymology: obsolete scamp to roam about idly, perhaps short for scamper
1. archaic : highwayman
2.
a. : a scheming person : rascal , rogue
an insincere but ambitious scamp — Lucien Warner
b. : a usually young person given to impish playful tricks
a shocking young scamp of a rover — W.S.Gilbert
3.
[so called from its ability to steal bait without being caught]
: a West Indian grouper ( Mycteroperca falcata )
Synonyms: see villain
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skammr short — more at scant
: to perform in a hasty, neglectful, or imperfect manner : do or make superficially : skimp , scant
the book is brief, but never hurried or scamped — Crane Brinton