abgefackeltes Gestell (expression)

English translation: burnt out creep/burned out creep

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:abgefackeltes Gestell (expression)
English translation:burnt out creep/burned out creep
Entered by: Ingeborg Gowans (X)

18:28 Oct 11, 2012
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / personal memoirs
German term or phrase: abgefackeltes Gestell (expression)
I am working on the manuscript of a person who wrote down his memoirs in the early 40/50s, living in South Africa .

This expression appears in following context:

As a young teenager, he is trying to defend his sister who is being bothered by hoodlums who try to make a pass at her; he is trying to be brave, yelling at the guy: .

"Du abgefackeltes Gestell! Lass sie in Ruhe!"

I have scoured countless dictionaries and it seems it is an old-fashioned term, derogatory, of course, but I don't seem to find the right register.
The guys that he addresses are also into drugs.
I guess, "loser" is not covering it. Has anyone got an idea how I can express this in English?

Thanks in advance!
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
Canada
Local time: 20:52
burnt out creep/burned out creep
Explanation:
or burnt-out creep
Selected response from:

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 00:52
Grading comment
Thanks, Ramey
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +1useless bum
Melanie Meyer
3burnt out creep/burned out creep
Ramey Rieger (X)
3 -1torched strawman / torched scarecrow
Ingrid Moore


Discussion entries: 21





  

Answers


36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
useless bum


Explanation:
Keine direkte Übersetzung, doch sinngemäß könnte es passen.

Melanie Meyer
United States
Local time: 19:52
Does not meet criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Melanie, for your input. I have to mull this over for a while


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  pj-ffm: Sounds good to me. Fits in with 40s/50s and conveys the right tone I reckon. I'd probably be more profane though... ;-) As a thought, maybe "useless waster" would imply the drug aspect too.
1 hr
  -> Thank you, pj! I had in fact started to type a more profane version at first, something along the lines of "you useless piece of s....", but decided to go for a tamer expression instead. :-)
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
torched strawman / torched scarecrow


Explanation:
I think this comes pretty close to it.

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Note added at 48 Min. (2012-10-11 19:16:24 GMT)
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Further alternatives could be: ne'er-do-well (American); goof-off; nogoodnik (American); no-good; waster.

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Note added at 52 Min. (2012-10-11 19:20:36 GMT)
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dud or dead loss are further alternatives.

Ingrid Moore
Local time: 00:52
Does not meet criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks a lot, Ingrid, maybe goof-off , I have to think it over


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  pj-ffm: This is not a pejorative I'm aware of...
1 hr
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
burnt out creep/burned out creep


Explanation:
or burnt-out creep

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 00:52
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 70
Grading comment
Thanks, Ramey
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi Ramey, thanks; so far this comes close to what I had in mind... need time to think it over


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  pj-ffm: Not a phrase I've ever come across. What does it mean?
19 mins
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