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I checked with Chambers, grunger, and it's rather interesting.

Two words for someone in sordid social circumstances (that's probably most of us who post here) or people of low social class (ditto).

But one word for a criminal or otherwise disreputable person.

Orson & Grunger

I think the `journalist` (so called ) should have used scumbags instead of lowlives - less chance of a grammatical mistake.

Jigjag

I`d welcome the opportunity of meeting Lord Sugar so I can tell him where to stick his Dragons.

orson

In that case I qualify for both. But which category is "superior", as I should like to be placed in that.

Grunger, Jigjag, Tyke, Orson (and anyone I've missed!)

I've just caught up on all the carrots/carats, sticks, dragons and lowlife stuff - an interesting and entertaining Sunday afternoon.



Jigjag, with all the effort you've expended, the modifications and improvements you've tested … you really are entitled to call yourself Chairman Of The Board*. Wear your title with pride, even though it doesn't take you into the 'key worker' category.

Feel free to say that some of my ramblings entitle me to be called 'Convenor Of The Bored'.

Grunger, as I understand it from Chambers, a low life is someone who is poor or leads a menial life, but not a bad person. A lowlife is a baddie. But I doubt if anyone follows that distinction and the word(s) is best avoided. I hope my little joke above did not offend anyone. In truth I imagine all of you dining at the ends of long tables with silver cutlery and being served by maids and butlers.

Orson

Currently I`m living in splendid isolation at Tyke Towers - I`ve had to furlough all the staff, sadly.

orson

I'm sure nobody was offended, but it got me reflecting upon my life. I am disreputable, certainly, which puts me in the Chambers definition of "lowlife", and yet I would not say I was a baddie.

I am also in the "sordid" definition of "low life". Perhaps a third category should be "low-life" used when we are not sure, but I agree it is too difficult and we should use something else. Tyke's scumbags is a word I often use, but not to describe myself.

Grunger, Orson, Tyke,

I'm glad we all know our place in life - I'm aspiring, aspiring to be a lowlife or low life, I haven't quite made up my mind.

It was nice to see several examples of low life/lowlife/low-life in the Times crossword today!

Social distancing while taking your daily walk is proving to be a hazardous task. Jigjag`s carat-stick invention is currently undergoing rigorous testing by the Home Office under their `Personal Isolation Keeping Equipment` scheme (PIKE).

Other ideas include carrying a large voracious freshwater fish with you or, perhaps more realistically, a 2 metre long spear.