Acting tough, fearless, or showing impressive confidence and attitude, especially in a way that breaks rules or defies expectations.
Compound of 'bad' (from Old English bædel, meaning evil or inferior) and 'assed' (from Old English ærs, the rear end, used slang as intensifier). The phrase 'badass' emerged in American slang by the 1950s, blending the negative 'bad' with a crude anatomical reference to create a paradoxical term for something impressive.
Language is full of words that flip meanings on their heads, and 'badassed' is a perfect example of how American slang takes something negative ('bad') and spins it into high praise—similar to how jazz musicians reclaimed 'cool' and hip-hop artists reclaimed other inflammatory terms. This semantic flipping helps groups create in-group identity and linguistic pride.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.