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/ˌskɒtˈfɹi/ · adverb
(colloquial) Without consequences or penalties, free without payment..
to get off scot-free
To ſay the Ieſuites are all ſmattred vvith Atheiſme, I vvill not: and to ſay, that any of them all are abſolutely ſcotfree from it, I cannot: it is ſo repugnant from their ovvne principles.
[T]he Papiſts, profeſſed Enemies of our Church and Religion, eſcaping in the mean vvhile Scot-free, ſeldome or never medled vvithal in any of their Sermons.
Correct me if I am missuggesting; you stated that there were 28,000 actual serious crimes committed in 1965 —I believe it was that year — and only 1,000 convictions , which means that the chances are, roughly, 28 to 1 of getting off scot free — that one can commit an act of violence, a serious crime, and have a good chance of getting off.
Opioids have killed 600,000 Americans. The Sacklers just got off scot-free
He added: "It's been a long journey, and it's really, really nice to able^([sic]) to turn and look at my clients, and say 'he can't get off scot-free for this. He can't. You had a defendant who went into that courtroom and said, 'I think I should have to pay them a dollar.' And this jury said no."
Use scot-free when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.
Scot-free means (colloquial) Without consequences or penalties, free without payment..
The closest synonym depends on the sentence and intended sense.
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
to get off scot-free
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