I was looking at the Weird and Wonderful Words book edited by Erin McKean (aka Ms. Dressaday), and opened it right to scofflaw, which is one of my favorite words! It always makes me think of Tracy Turnblad as a "hairdo scofflaw" in the first Hairspray movie. That's an ethos to aspire to, don't you think? Maybe it's because I've never been a Big Hair girl, but it sounds like fun. I can't think of another kind of scofflaw I'd rather be. I loved the first movie, but I'm also looking forward to the Hairspray Movie Musical so much! I like to think of it as a late entry in birthday week festivities. Movie musicals and summer go so well together. Other things that go well with summer evenings: garden dinner parties! I have to go find something to wear (alas, I don't think there is time for hairdo scofflawism) and head over to Weird Cousin Bonnie's house. She has a wonderful functional garden (mostly fruit trees and vegetables) and two amazingly beautiful elm trees. I hope they have the hammock set up. (and I hope that there is ice cream, but that's kind of a perpetual summer hope.)
scofflaw someone who contemptuously breaks the law, especially a law that's difficult to enforce. This isn't a very rare word, but it has a marvelous origin. A Massachusetts man, Delcevare King of Quincy, held a contest in 1923 to find a word for the 'lawless drinker' of illegal alcohol, and he offered $200 as a prize. He received 25,000 entries, coming from all over the United States and from several foreign countries. Two entrants, Mr. Henry Irving Dale and Miss Kate L. Butler, independently came up with scofflaw, and they split the prize on January 15, 1924.
