Etymology From black + guard, thought to have referred originally to the scullions and lower menials of a court, or of a nobleman's household, who wore black liveries or blacked shoes and boots, or were often stained with soot.
1
Historical The lowest servant in a household charged with pots, pans, and other kitchen equipment.
2
Dated, Of men An unprincipled, contemptible person; an untrustworthy person.
1830, Thomas Macaulay, Review of Robert Southey's edition of Pilgrim's Progress, in the Edinburgh Review A man whose manners and sentiments are decidedly below those of his class deserves to be called a blackguard.
Pawn another man's property for the sake of a meal, eat and drink one's self to perdition, brand one's soul with the first little sear, set the first black mark against one's honour, call one's self a blackguard to one's own face, and needs must cast one's eyes down before one's self? Never! never!1899, Knut Hamsun, “Part I”, in George Egerton [pseudonym; Mary Chavelita Dunne Bright], transl., Hunger […], London: Leonard Smithers and Co […], →OCLC, page 68:
1 more example
2006, Jan Freeman, Blaggards' of the year – Boston Globe "Arrr, keelhaul the blaggards!" wrote Ty Burr in the Globe last summer, pronouncing sentence on the malefactors who brought us the second "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.
3
Archaic A man who uses foul language in front of a woman (typically a woman of high standing).
Etymology From black + guard, thought to have referred originally to the scullions and lower menials of a court, or of a nobleman's household, who wore black liveries or blacked shoes and boots, or were often stained with soot.
1
To revile or abuse in scurrilous language.
Persons who passed each other in boats upon the Thames used to blackguard each other, in a trial of wit1850, Robert Southey, English Manners:
The Southern Region takes, in the main, a candid line with its public. […] An ill-informed attempt to blackguard the railway publicly is likely to see the complainant put politely—but very firmly—in his place.1962 August, “Let's have plain speaking”, in Modern Railways, page 73:
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And then the drink is very pleasant to us, and keeps up our spirits; for what could a woman in my position do without spirits, without being able to talk and blackguard and give every fellow she meets as good as he brings?1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, published 1861: