wrong 'un
C1-C2Informal, Colloquial. Strongly associated with British and Australian English.
Definition
Meaning
A person of bad or dishonest character; a rogue or scoundrel.
Originally from cricket (a 'wrong 'un' is a googly or a ball that spins the 'wrong' way), extended to mean someone who behaves in a deceitful, untrustworthy, or morally suspect manner. Can also refer to something counterfeit or flawed.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term implies a fundamental flaw in character, not just a single wrong action. Often carries a tone of judgemental disapproval.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Common and widely understood in British English. Very rare in American English; an American speaker would likely use 'crook', 'con artist', 'bad egg', or 'shady character' instead.
Connotations
In the UK, it can sound somewhat old-fashioned or dialectal, conjuring images of Victorian street urchins or cricket commentary.
Frequency
High frequency in UK informal speech/media; negligible in US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] is a wrong 'un.They suspected [Object] was a wrong 'un.It turned out [Object] was a wrong 'un.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's a wrong 'un and no mistake.”
- “I had him pegged as a wrong 'un from the off.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in informal contexts: 'We did our due diligence and found the supplier was a complete wrong 'un.'
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Common in UK informal conversation to describe untrustworthy people: 'Don't lend him money, he's a bit of a wrong 'un.'
Technical
Cricket: the standard term for a googly (a type of delivery).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My mum always said that guy was a wrong 'un.
- The new neighbour seems friendly, but I think he might be a wrong 'un.
- The investigation revealed the charity's director was a wrong 'un who had embezzled funds.
- He had a convincing manner, but his eyes marked him out as a wrong 'un.
- Despite his polished exterior, he was ultimately exposed as a thoroughgoing wrong 'un with a history of fraud.
- The memoir painted his former business partner as a charismatic wrong 'un who left a trail of broken promises.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cricket ball spinning the WRONG way (a 'wrong 'un') to deceive the batter, just as a person spins lies to deceive you.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE ARE OBJECTS (flawed objects). A person is judged as a fundamentally defective item ('un' from 'one').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите дословно как "неправильный один".
- Не является синонимом "ошибка" (error/mistake).
- Ближайшие концепты: "жулик", "проходимец", "негодяй".
Common Mistakes
- Writing it as 'wrongun' or 'wrong-un' without the apostrophe.
- Using it to mean simply 'a mistake' rather than a person.
- Overusing in formal contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'wrong 'un' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is derogatory and judgemental, but not among the strongest swear words. It's more dismissive and critical than directly offensive.
Yes, though historically more common for men. One can say 'She's a wrong 'un'.
It originates from late 19th-century cricket slang for a 'googly' (a ball that spins the opposite way to expected). The figurative sense for a deceitful person followed quickly.
Most would not recognize it in its 'person' meaning. In a cricket context, they would use the term 'googly'. They would likely need the term explained.