bum rap
noun Slang.
an unjust accusation, verdict, or punishment: He was sent to prison on a bum rap.
an adverse opinion or judgment considered undeserved or unjust: The review was a bum rap, but I liked the play.
Words nearby bum rap
bulwer-lytton,
bum,
bum around,
bum bag,
bum out,
bum rap,
bum steer,
bum's rush,
bum-rush,
bumbailiff,
bumbershoot
British Dictionary definitions for bum rap
bum rap
noun US slang
a trumped-up or false charge
an unjust punishment
Idioms and Phrases with bum rap
bum rap
A false accusation or conviction; also, unfair criticism or action. For example, He claimed he was in prison on a bum rap, or The theater critics gave her last play a bum rap. This expression originated in the 1920s as underworld slang, and by the mid-1900s it was also used figuratively for other kinds of injustice.