Definition of "scot-free" [scot•-free]

• Without having to pay: got away from the restaurant scot-free. (adverb)
• Without incurring any penalty or punishment: came away from the incident scot-free. (adverb)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Translation: with video surveillance available that clearly showed that the two accused committed the murder, the prosecution messed up and these murderers got off scot-free."
• "But Wall Street got off scot-free and homeowners facing foreclosure got only the "Home Affordable Modification Plan," which appears to have been little more than a political ploy to give the appearance the government was doing something at a time when the number of foreclosures was shooting through the roof."
• "The Federal government has now let former Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo go scot-free, paying less than 10% of his assets in fines, with no admission of guilt."