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deadbeat

   Also found in: Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
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.

dead·beat 2  (ddbt)
adj.
Having an indicator that stops without oscillation.

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
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.deadbeat - someone who fails to meet a financial obligation
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

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)


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ANTI-terror powers will be used to nail deadbeat dads, it was announced yesterday.
WORCESTER - An alleged deadbeat dad accused of stealing his dead cousin's identity was ordered held without bail yesterday, pending a court hearing to determine whether he violated the terms of his probation from a 1993 assault and battery conviction.
Unlike the "Most Wanted Deadbeat Parent" lists put out by most states and counties, the CSSD's list does not contain the occupations of the "deadbeats.
 
 
 
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