scram v.
1. (also scram out) to escape, to run off.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | letter 2 Apr. in Crowther Don’t Tread on Me (1987) n.p.: The lucky gal and myself [...] will probably ‘take the step’ (ha ha!) around July 1st, scramming for France shortly afterward. | |
| ‘Prison Mass’ in Coll. Stories (1990) 164: As it was, he had been getting ready to scram. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Pigeon Pie 181: Now we must scram. | |
| diary 3 Dec. in Garfield Our Hidden Lives (2004) 139: I’m sure terrible trouble is coming soon to India and do wish we’d scram out while we safely can. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Joyful Condemned 309: So you scrammed out of there? | |
| Onionhead (1958) 256: ‘As soon as we can decently scram, we’ll go’. | |
| Fowlers End (2001) 57: All right, Mr. Yudenow—buzz off. Kind of scram. Go on. | |
| Imabelle 72: Come on, let’s scram, they done left us. | |
| Rage in Harlem (1969) 72: [as 1957]. | |
| Inside the Und. 41: He was to scram across the roof. | |
| Dry Hustle 29: Oopadoop, I gotta scram now. | |
| (con. 1940s) Hold Tight (1990) 87: You want to cheer me up, cheer me up by scrammin’. | |
| Hooky Gear 226: Garms I just dump on the bed in case I have to scram. | |
| (con. 1973) Johnny Porno 31: Last thing the old man said to me before he scrammed [...] ‘Parents split up all the time nowadays’. |
2. as imper. scram!
 | in N.Y. Eve. Graphic 4 Oct. 23: His [i.e. Jack Conway’s] popular slang creations include [...] ‘scram’, meaning ‘git out!’. | |
| Put on the Spot 150: Get the hell out o’ here, will you? [...] Scram! | |
| ‘Snowbound’ in Gangster Stories Oct. n.p.: ‘Give them the works if there‘s any funny business. Scram’. | |
| Night and the City 69: ‘Oh, scram,’ grunted Fabian. | |
| ‘Saint in Silver’ in Goulart (1967) 81: I don’t like you hanging around, so scram. | |
| Cell 2455 85: Now scram. All of you. | |
| Deep Down In The Jungle 148: Scram, chickenshit, fuck with someone your size. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | All in! All in! 81: Two little sausages / Frying on the pan. / One got burned, / And the other said – scram! | |
| Songlines 149: ‘Out!’ he barked at the shoppers. ‘Out! Out! Scram!’. | |
| (con. 1950s) Slab Boys [film script] 21: Aye very droll ... scram. | |
| Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Scram! : go away! | |
| (con. 1962) Enchanters 40: I slid the doc a C-note and told him to scram. |
In derivatives
(UK Und.) of a tramp, taking a job of work, then quickly moving on.
| Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 108/1: The most of his work being done in the several Unions along the road where they had to apply for ‘chuck.’ At other times, when ‘scramming’ got unpayable, something white on a roadside hedge would disappear, and [...] ’twas converted into ‘posh’. |
desertion, the act of running off; note cit. 2003 mis-defined as a v.
| (con. 1950s) ‘The Rat Pack Lexicon’ homepage on Northern Kentucky University 🌐 scramsville--to run off. |
In phrases
(US) to disappear, to run off.
| Don’t Get Me Wrong (1956) 48: I am not worryin’ very much about this guy who has done the scrammin’ act. |
(US Und.) to run off.
| Criminal Sl. (rev. edn). |