- scamp (n.)
- 1782, "highway robber," probably from dialectal verb scamp "to roam" (1753), shortened from scamper. Used affectionately in sense "rascal" since 1808.
- scamp (v.)
- "do in a hasty manner," 1837, perhaps from a Scandinavian source (cf. Old Norse skemma "to shorten," from skammr "short"), or a blend of scant and skimp. Related: Scamped; scamping.