What does the word "rakish" mean to you?

[Sophie]

Don't bother looking it up. I know what the dictionary says it means. I'm just curious what you think it means.

[peepthis]

I imagine a dirty old man. Like Jack Lemmon's dad from "Grumpy Old Men" (Burgess Meredith?).

[delphica]

"What Rakish Means to Me"
An Essay by delphica

Ok, it's not really an essay. But I use rakish to mean a man who has a sophisticated, almost dangerous, international playboy type attitude, but is in fact a teddy bear underneath. I think it's one of those words that sometimes means almost its opposite -- an actual rake would be a cad, but someone who is rakish is only acting like a rake, but really has a heart of gold.

For some reason, the first thing that came to mind was Jason Priestly -- I always feel like someone in Hollywood believes Jason Priestly comes across as rakish, while in fact he is only goofy. How odd that I can only think of an example of someone who is not rakish to illustrate my meaning.

[racinchikki]

For some reason, the only thing I associate with "rakish" is "angle of hat."

[Supersaurus]

I think it means "rough" or "scratchy".

[burundi]

Ooooh, I always think of a dashing, devil-may-care, slightly naughty young man. Pre-World War II, of course. I can't think of any lovely modern rakish men.

[ShibbOleth]

Errol Flynn.
Montgomery Clift.
(maybe) Johnny Depp.

[amarinth]

Rakish- Dashing, devil-may-care, reckless, charming with an air of drama & danger.

[Space Vampire]

A handsome pirate.

[heresiarch]

A combination of 'suave' and 'womanizing'

[Jervoise]

I'm with racinchikki. Setting my fedora to rakish angle as we speak.

[Nortia]

I'm with amarinth on this one. I also think a rakish man couldn't be short for some reason.

[Orual]

Rakish: cocky and handsome, with a perpetual smirk; devestatingly charming. i.e Rhett Butler or the Dread Pirate Roberts.

[Anahita]

Thin and sleek.
I don't know why.
And it only applies to men, in my mind.

[gallows fodder]

Like ShibbOleth, I think Errol Flynn personifies the word. Dashing, slightly wicked, debonair, and very successful with women.

[thinksnow]

Heh.

[jjimm]

Dashing. The angle of the hat gives a wicked-twinkle-in-the-eye persona to the whole person. Think Terry Thomas meets Dirk Bogarde.

[Witch]

Clark Gable as Rhett Butler.


Rakish is sexxay.

[Eve]

Ukulele Ike. Manhattan. Cajun Man. Dr. Matrix.

[istara]

Sexy and handsome in a rather dangerous, untrustworthy playboy sort of way. Slightly old-fashioned, but dashing nonetheless. A very white and even-teethed grin. Dark hair and glittering eyes.

[Sophie]

Originally posted by thinksnow
Heh.

yeah yeah yeah

[abel]

Humphrey Bogart, with the trenchcoat and hat, smoking a cigar. Actually, rakish to me refers specifically the tilt of his hat.

[peepthis]

Since my example is so different than everyone else's I thought I'd explain: the first time I ever hear the word "rake" (oh so many years ago) was in reference to Ben Franklin -- since it turns out he had a bit of a naughty streak. From then on, I've always associated the word with uncular, racy old men. Not in a bad way, you understand (hence Burgess Meredith in "Grumpy Old Men").

[racinchikki]

Oh, and only certain hats can be worn at a rakish angle. Fedoras, definitely. If you're wearing your fedora at a non-rakish angle you're just square. Bowlers/derbies, perhaps, if you're an Avenger or a villain.

[peepthis]

Originally posted by peepthis
uncular, racy old men
This word, of course, should be avuncular.

[sidle]

Originally posted by Eve
Ukulele Ike. Manhattan. Cajun Man. Dr. Matrix.

:D
SUCK-UP!

I initially think of the hat angle, and then sexily naughty, like that old song "Somebody's knockin, should I let em in...it's the Devil...I never dreamed...he'd have blue eyes and blue jeans."

An azure-eyed, denim-clad demon would be "rakish".

[Eve]

Suck-up I may be, Sidle, but I know all four gentlemen intimately and I can assure you that they are not only rakish, but are well worth sucking up to.

[DAVEW0071]

I also think of the rakish tilt to a fedora. And the attitude that goes with it. Suave, smooth, but not in a dangerous way. A handsome, debonair, stylish man who does not look for trouble, but if trouble finds him, he can deal with it.

A ladies man, definitely, but not a cad. He's got an easy way with women about him, but he is, above all, a gentleman.

In short, a guy like me. :D

[burundi]

Just out of curiousity, Sophie, why do you ask?

I must go watch Errol Flynn movies now...sigh...

[syncrolecyne]

I'll take myself out of the running and offer Lord Byron .

[mrblue92]

As someone who was involved in the original, somewhat more private discussion of the word and its place the vernacular, I'd like to pose a side question...

How many of you think the words "rake" and "rakish" imply some degree of promiscuity?

[Caught@Work]

Doesn't rakish mean in the style of a rake ala rake-like?

[mrblue92]

Yes. Just like "fish" means in the style of an "f".

[burundi]

The word "rakish" implies some degree of promiscuity, but nearly so much as "cad." A rake is someone who might have success with women, but sincerely like them, whereas a cad is a love 'em and leave 'em type. "Rakish" implies even less promiscuity to me, since, as delphica wrote, they're not necessarily a rake, they just act like one. One can be rakish and still be a gentleman. A cad forfeits all claims to gentlemanliness.

[thinksnow]

Eve
Suck-up I may be, Sidle, but I know all four gentlemen intimately...Wow, uh...how you doin!

[Podkayne]

Damn. I read the thread title and immediately thought, "Mad, bad, and dangerous to know." But cuate beat me to it.

[Fibonacci]

I've also heard it used to describe cars, usually with fins, fancy grills or chrome exhausts.
Nowadays, I hear Montgomery Burns using the word to describe something.

[Enola Straight]

Rakish.

Sounds like some Middle-Eastern opiate-laced clove cigarette.

Actually, I think it just means gaudy beyond good taste.

[kumaraka]

Rakkish is CLEARLY to be of a Rakk-like nature.

DUH. :p

[Sophie]

Originally posted by Enola Straight
Actually, I think it just means gaudy beyond good taste.

Wow. I think that this definition amuses me more than any of the others.



Oh, this gets me, right where the gettin' is *good*.

[Fiver]

Rick Blaine in Casablanca is rakish.
Louis Renault in Casablanca is a rake.

And I agree that only certain hats may be worn at a rakish angle.

A 'tuke could never be worn rakishly.