Home › Glossary › Letter C

cad

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

cad: A man who behaves dishonorably, especially toward women, lacking chivalry or moral principles, a term from 19th-century literature used to denote a scoundrel or bounder.

Detailed Definition
The cad gained prominence in nineteenth-century literature as a figure of moral failure and social breach. In poetry, it often signals betrayal of romantic or social codes, contrasting with ideals of gentlemanly conduct. Poets used the term to articulate ethical boundaries, particularly around trust, respect, and emotional responsibility in relationships.
Example
Example in poetry:
She names him cad for breaking vows as lightly as he broke her trust; The cad appears where love is promised cheap and paid in pain; Victorian verse condemns the cad who feeds on honour’s shell; The poet’s cad smiles smooth while wrecking hearts unseen
Additional Notes
Cad is a relatively late archaic term, prominent in nineteenth-century moral discourse. In poetry, it signals breaches of social and romantic ethics, especially betrayal or exploitation of women. The term assumes shared moral standards, making it useful for analysing Victorian attitudes toward honour and gender. Unlike rake, cad lacks glamour and implies cowardice rather than charm.
Also Known As
Bounder Blackleg Rat
Skip to main content