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Artful Dodger

What Does "Artful Dodger" Mean?

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"Artful dodger" is an English idiom. It means "a person who is adept at evading responsibility or the law."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "artful dodger" used in a sentence:
  • He always manages to avoid doing chores. He's such an artful dodger.
  • With the number of times he's evaded the law, he's earned the nickname 'the artful dodger'.
  • You can't keep being an artful dodger when it comes to your responsibilities.
meaning for artful dodger

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Artful Dodger" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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