deadbeat

views updated May 29 2018

dead·beat / ˈdedˌbēt/ • n. inf. a person who tries to evade paying debts. ∎  (also deadbeat dad) a man who avoids paying child support. ∎  an idle, feckless, or disreputable person.• adj. (of a clock escapement or other mechanism) without recoil.

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