Someone who avoids paying debts or their obligations; a person considered unreliable or lazy.
'Dead' (exhausted, finished) plus 'beat' (a regular rhythm or a person patrolling a territory). Originally 1860s slang for someone who's worn out and won't pay; suggests someone who's 'dead' to their responsibilities.
The word captures two ideas at once—'dead' like exhausted and 'beat' like defeated—showing how English stacks meanings to create vivid insults!
Term emerged in 1930s welfare debates, predominantly applied to fathers. By the 1990s, criminalized specifically through 'deadbeat dad' rhetoric, while mothers facing equivalent hardship framed sympathetically. Gendered moral judgment.
Use 'non-paying parent' or 'parental support default' for clinical accuracy. Recognize economic constraints and systemic barriers, not moral failure.
["non-paying parent","parental support arrears"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.