rogue (1 orig. a canting term of the 16th cent.; the Dict. of the Canting Crew, 1700, defines ‘Rogues’ as ‘the fourth Order of Canters’; 3 common in the 17th cent. dramatists)
1.
one
of a class of idle vagrants or vagabonds Wint. IV. ii. [iii.] 107,
Lr. IV. vii. 39
“To hovel thee with
swine and r-s forlorn.”
2.
rascal (freq.);
applied abusively to servants
Shr. IV. i. 150
“Out, you
rogue!.”
3.
term of endearment
2H4 II. iv. 232
“you sweet little ,”
Lr. V. iii. 13,
Oth. IV. i. 112
“Alas! poor , I think
. . . she loves me.”
