I've managed to let myself get behind by months, but now that I'm catching up again Gollum-like, I heard that the discussion in the field trip of session 196 (talking about the "scornful" names the Bree-folk gave Aragorn) stumbled across "Stick-at-naught Strider", which I had thought surely had been discussed at length before. It sounded like the participants were speaking of the term as though it meant Aragorn would not "stick" to any task, i.e. that he was a shirker or a lazy bum who wouldn't finish what he started. Someone said something that sounded like "I wonder what he wouldn't do, or that he promised to do but failed, that made them give him that name".
My understanding is that the phrase "stick-at-naught" means "will not hesitate to do anything", "liable to do anything"; i.e. it's saying he has no compunction, no morals. It's saying he's a scoundrel you can't trust not to stab you in the ribs as soon as you turn your back; he won't "stick at" such things.
Which goes nicely with the further discussion about how "Strider" is scornful because it paints a picture of him darting around through the shadows and the woods, always up to something, always in a hurry; you never know what he's gonna do next because he's always so secretive. Naturally you're going to assume he's some kind of highwayman or murderer.
My understanding is that the phrase "stick-at-naught" means "will not hesitate to do anything", "liable to do anything"; i.e. it's saying he has no compunction, no morals. It's saying he's a scoundrel you can't trust not to stab you in the ribs as soon as you turn your back; he won't "stick at" such things.
Which goes nicely with the further discussion about how "Strider" is scornful because it paints a picture of him darting around through the shadows and the woods, always up to something, always in a hurry; you never know what he's gonna do next because he's always so secretive. Naturally you're going to assume he's some kind of highwayman or murderer.