Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (orig. Ling. Fr./Polari) to escape, to run off.

[1826		Portfolio (London) 12 Nov. 38/2: We can always run away, scapper via, ourselves, and hang the property].
1844		C. Selby London by Night II i: Vamoose – scarper – fly!
1850		Man of Pleasure’s Illus. Pocket-book n.p.: No cully is admitted here before daylight has mizzled, and then he must hook it before ‘daylight does appear,’ and then scarper by the back door.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 47/2: ‘Questra homa vardering the slum, scapar it, Orderly’ – there’s someone a looking at the slum. Be off quickly.
1866		Wild Boys of London I 6/1: Sometimes a copper cops him instead; then he has to scarper.
1873		Sl. Dict.
c.1921		T. Norman Penny Showman 30: It became necessary [...] to scarper (run away) for a time.
1934		P. Allingham Cheapjack 250: ‘Make for our vardoes,’ he called. ‘Scarper. Quick!’.
1943		R. Llewellyn None But the Lonely Heart 250: Get ready to scarper.
1950		S.J. Baker in Sun. Herald (Sydney) 8 June 9/5: Other English incorporations [in Australian slang] include: [...] ‘scarper,’ to run away.
1952		C. Harris Death of a Barrow Boy 140: What game yer think you’re playing? Scarper.
1959		F. Norman Stand on Me 16: We’ll skarper first fing in the mornin’ my life we will.
1962		R. Cook Crust on its Uppers 58: When she got out [...] the old clients ’ad all scarpered.
1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 22: He’s trying to scarpa!
1970		R. Fabian Anatomy of Crime 192: Blow me if the connaught didn’t scarper (Scapa Flow: go) with my smash (cash).
1980		J. McClure Spike Island (1981) 388: The fellow had started to scarper by then. I got up, started to run after him.
1984		Smiley Culture ‘Cockney Translation’ 🎵 Cockney say scarper. We say scatter.
1989		Dandy Comic Library No. 142 30: Let’s scarper while he’s still dazed!
1996		(con. 1964-65) B. Thorpe Sex and Thugs and Rock ’n’ Roll 329: ‘I’ve put a man on him to make sure he doesn’t scarper’.
1997		S. Armitage ‘Eclipse’ in CloudCuckooLand 122: Everyone scarper and hide.
1999		D. Looser ‘Boob Jargon’ in NZEJ 13 35: scarper v. To escape.
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 19: A couple of minutes earlier we were going to abort the mission and scarpa.
2000		Indep. 1 Feb. 9: He helped his friend get to his feet and the two of them scarpered.
2007		S. Maloney Sucked In 77: The hail-and-farewell of scarpering MPs.
2016		D. Whish-Wilson Old Scores [ebook]‘ If you don’t hear from me in an hour, then scarper’.
2019		P. Baker Fabulosa 297/2: scarper, scaper, scarpy, scapali to go, run or escape.
2023		A. Parks To Die in June 14: ‘Wee buggers like that normally just scarper’.

2. to run.

1852		Kendal Mercury 17 Apr. 6/1: Here’s the balsam, my rum ’un, and your nibs must stole for the lush [...] Now, Scarper!
1987		(con. 1920s) L. Redmond Emerald Square 11: Scarper round the ’ouse an’ see if you can find that fucking Shinner, ’ee’s about ’ere somewhere.
2023		R. Milward Man-Eating Typewriter 444: If I was to scarper into the strasse [...] and splurge bullets willety-nilly [...].

3. to get rid of, to make someone go away.

1964

H. Williams Speakers (1966) 171: When you say I’m going to scarper the edge, that means that you’re getting rid of the crowd.