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In the Spanish language there is a word that is used to describe a person that has been tagged as a deadbeat; it is Largo. Largo in Spanish means Long as in the measurement of the distance between two points or places, etc.

If you loan any money to this person, it will be a long time before you get paid back, if you get paid back at all, or if you receive any kind of payment. They can also be known as a Largo if they are sly, tricky, or conniving with bad intentions.

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    You have it in your word deadbeat. Largo has no rolled R. Flicked, yes, but usually Spanish uses RR to signal the rolling. Nov 12 at 17:22
  • Corrections: If you lend money to someone, lend, not loan, which is poor AmE. //before you are paid back, no get.
    – Lambie
    Nov 12 at 18:27

5 Answers 5

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In British English 'largo' isn't a word that is used, and while 'deadbeat' can mean that, it is usually more general:

deadbeat
a person who is not willing to work, does not behave in a responsible way, and does not fit into ordinary society
Come off it, deadbeat, you're never going to get anywhere.


For a person who doesn't pay for anything, I suggest

sponger
a person who gets money, food, etc. from other people, especially in order to live without working

or

freeloader
a person who uses money, food, a room in a house, etc. given by other people, but who gives nothing to them in exchange

From Cambridge Dictionary.

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  • I generally write 'Handel's Largo' to explain what Ombra mai fu, my favourite aria is. Nov 15 at 11:29
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A popular word is welcher.

someone who swindles you by not repaying a debt or wager.

It's definitely an insult, and implies deceit.

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Another related term is mooch or moocher, describing someone who constantly takes without giving in return. It's not usually used in the context of a formal bill or invoice, but generally describes a lack of reciprocity and taking advantage of others' generosity. A mooch will seek to get something while avoiding paying for it. A good example might be a roommate who does not contribute to the cable bill but watches lots of TV, or a friend who never offers their share of the bill at a restaurant. It usually describes someone who avoids an informal obligation to pay by letting someone else foot the bill.

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It seems you are after a word that has a similar dual meaning. You may consider delinquent.

As an adjective, it is associated with unlawful or immoral behavior. Among them, though, is being late with payments.

1 : offending by neglect or violation of duty or of law
2 : being overdue in payment
3 : of, relating to, or characteristic of people who regularly perform illegal or immoral acts
Merriam-Webster

As a noun, you will often it see it refer to juvenile delinquents. But it also has a broader definition:

3. a delinquent person; esp., a juvenile delinquent
Collins

So it can refer to a person that is late in payments, or to a person that regularly gets into trouble with other people or the law.

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You could call such a person a cheat, defined by TfD as:

a person who cheats; swindler; deceiver; imposter.

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