1494: 'great scott' and 'scott free' aren't Scottish Jan 14, 2018

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The Scotland is famous for many things, but neither 'great scott' nor 'off scott free' relate to the country or its people. The former is simply a standin for 'G-d', though these are pretty common, especially in Victorian English speech. In the latter case, there is a common misconception that the word comes from the Dred Scott Decision, but actually it comes from the Old Norse 'skot' meaning 'payment' or 'tax'.

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