Definition
Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
Origins
An allusion to an egg that has gone bad or turned rotten.
In Context
- ""Dat's right!" piped up the newsboy who had brought the policeman. "I see him do de trick jest a minit ago!" "This is a plot against me!" fumed the swindler. "Dat feller is a bad egg!" went on the newsboy. "His name is Bill Butts. He's a slick one, he is. Hits de country jays strong, he does!""
- "I've been a fairly bad egg, Byrne, for a great many years; but, by George! I'm not entirely rotten yet."
- "My son had a drug problem and hired a bad egg as a chief accountant […]"
- ""And the fifth immortal we know tried to kill you." "He is a bad''' egg. We stick to good eggs.""