English edit

Etymology edit

blackguard +‎ -ism

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

blackguardism (countable and uncountable, plural blackguardisms)

  1. Blackguardly behaviour or language.
    • 1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History [], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number):
      swindlery and blackguardism
    • 1887, Rudyard Kipling, “The Three Musketeers”, in Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio Society, published 2005, page 49:
      Collectively, I think, but am not certain, they are the worst men in the regiment so far as genial blackguardism goes.
    • 1829, Francis Place (Diary of Social Reformer Francis Place)
      The shoutings of the mob exhilarated the pelters and induced many who came as spectators to join in the mischief, and when the blackguardism had reached its height, it was no longer in the power of the constables to stay it, every sort of missile was thrown, a dead cat was a treat, a live one a still greater treat, and woe to the poor animal who fell into the hands of the miscreants.