Quiz: "scot" or "brit"?

The correct answer is: scot

"It seems the bankers who caused the financial crisis have got away ______-free."

If you get away scot-free it means you avoid the punishment or financial penalty that you deserve.

"Scot" comes from the Old English "sceot" and means "a tax". The "scot and lot" was a municipal tax that residents had to pay in Britain in the Middle Ages. Someone who managed to avoid paying this tax got off "scot-free".

A "Scot" is also someone of Scottish descent.

get off/away scot-free = ungeschoren davonkommen

A "Brit" is someone of British descent.

Brit (infl.) = der Brite/Britin

Try another:

"Sarah's heavy workload has taken its _____ on her health."

• toll
  
• tax