guttersnipe

/ˈɡʌtərˌsnaɪp/
noun
  1. A child who lives or spends most of their time on the streets, often poor and poorly dressed.
    • The novel tells the story of a guttersnipe who rises from poverty to become a successful businessman.
    • In the old photographs, guttersnipes could be seen playing in the muddy alleys of the city.
    • She felt like a guttersnipe compared to her wealthy classmates, with her worn-out shoes and patched coat.
  2. A person who is rude, vulgar, or behaves in a low, dishonorable way.
    • He acted like a guttersnipe, shouting insults at everyone who passed by.
    • No one wanted to sit near the man, who was behaving like a guttersnipe at the formal dinner.
    • The politician called his opponent a guttersnipe for spreading lies during the campaign.
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