scaramouch

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scaramouch stock character of Italian farce, cowardly or foolish boaster constantly cudgelled by Harlequin; rascal, scamp. XVII. Early forms Scaramuzza, -moucha, -muchio — It. Scaramuccia, joc. use of scaramuccia SKIRMISH;
hence F. Scaramouche, source of the present form.