Getting off scot-free refers to someone getting away without payment, either monetary or otherwise. In fact in modern usage, it often refers to suspects who are not convicted of a crime. If a person feels that the suspect should have been convicted, he might say, “That guy is getting off scot-free.” Often the term is confused with the frugality that is occasionally attributed to the Scottish. Actually, the term scot predates old Gaelic that would have been spoken by the Scots. In fact the word has its origins in Scandinavian language and probably descends to the English language via Anglo-Saxon.
To get off scot-free implies evasion, purposeful or otherwise of the dues one is supposed to pay. It is frequently an annoyance to others if people duck out of paying what everyone else must pay. This is especially the case if the scot of a bar tab is avoided, since everyone else will have to pay extra to make up for the person getting off scot-free.
by Dancing with Fire December 17, 2010
What da lecherous ex-Prez Willie C. managed to do **twice over** in the Monica Blewinsky case --- first, he was able to delightedly "get off" from Miss L's huge luscious smoochy lips' lovingly pleasuring his crooked wiener. And then when said sordid tryst "came back to haunt him" with a Congressional trial, he was able to "get off" without punishment, even though he obviously had done everything he'd been accused of. He was even able to keep his marriage intact.
I as a "common citizen" can get jailed for merely stealing a pack of gum, yet Bill Clinton didn't even get a slap on da wrist for majorly dallying with his intern (and who knows how many other women during his lifetime!), and he was a married man, to boot --- he could totally get off scot-free merely because he was da President at da time! What kind of convoluted nonsense --- not to mention an awful role-model for our nation's raging-hormones-steeped youth --- is THAT???
by QuacksO July 9, 2019