deadbeat

dead·beat ¹  (ddbt) Slang

n.

1. One who does not pay one's debts.

2. A lazy person; a loafer.

adj.

Not fulfilling one's obligations or paying one's debts: a deadbeat dad.

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dead·beat ²  (ddbt)

adj.

Having an indicator that stops without oscillation.

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deadbeat [ˈdɛdˌbiːt]

n

1. (Sociology) Informal a lazy or socially undesirable person

2. Chiefly US

a.  a person who makes a habit of avoiding or evading his or her responsibilities or debts

b.  (as modifier) a deadbeat dad

3. (Miscellaneous Technologies / Horology) a high grade escapement used in pendulum clocks

4. (Miscellaneous Technologies / Horology) (modifier) (of a clock escapement) having a beat without any recoil

5. (Physics / General Physics) (modifier) Physics

a.  (of a system) returning to an equilibrium position with little or no oscillation

b.  (of an instrument or indicator) indicating a true reading without oscillation

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

deadbeat - someone who fails to meet a financial obligation defaulter deadbeat dad - a father who willfully defaults on his obligation to provide financial support for his offspring debitor, debtor - a person who owes a creditor; someone who has the obligation of paying a debt

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deadbeat

noun (Informal, chiefly U.S. & Canad.) layabout, bum (informal), waster, lounger, piker (Austral. & N.Z. slang), sponge (informal), parasite, drone, loafer, slacker (informal), scrounger (informal), skiver (Brit. slang), idler, freeloader (slang), good-for-nothing, sponger (informal), wastrel, bludger (Austral. & N.Z. informal), cadger They're just a bunch of deadbeats.

Translations

deadbeat [ˈdedbiːt] N (US) → haragán/ana m/f

deadbeat [ˈdɛdbiːt] (mainly US)

n (= waster) → bon(ne) m/f à rien
dead duck n
to be a dead duck → être fichu(e)