/careless-meaning-etymology
-) Adjective.
-) Pronunciation and accent: kɛəlɪs.
-) Etymology: it is analyzed into the noun of CARE and the suffix –less.
-) Comparative form: more careless.
-) Superlative form: most careless.
-) It is dated from 1000.
-) 1. Obsolete and pristine meaning: having no care (anxiety or apprehension).
If there was any act of friendship he particularly prized, it was the intervention that should relieve him of the anxiety and trouble of a difficult negotiation, and leave him, thoughtless and careless, to stroll about, neither thinking of the present nor uneasy for the future.
C. Lever… The Daltons… 1852
-) 2. (Of somebody) having no care for anything; not concerning oneself with anything.
-) Antonyms of “careless”: careful, concerned, interested, mindful, heedful, attentive, solicitous, regardful, cautious, chary.
-) Synonyms for “careless”: unconcerned; not caring; uninterested; indifferent, regardless, unattending, inattentive, unmindful, unsolicitous, unheedful, incautious, unchary.
-) Translation: descuidado (de), in Spanish; incurante (di), in Italian; inattentif (à), in French.
What was the passion so powerful that it would almost induce the generous to be mean, the careless to be cautious, the guileless to be deeply designing, and the dove to emulate the serpent?
Dickens… Speeches… 1880
-) With the preposition “of” + a noun or a gerund:
I am careless at present of consequences.
S. Richardson… Clarissa… 1748
Few of either sex thought it necessary to hide themselves under the awnings of bathing machines: posts, with ropes fastened to them, are fixed into the sands, and these were taken possession of by numerous groups of women, six or seven in a row, jumping, ducking, laughing, and screaming, evidently as careless of being seen as of being drowned.
R. Ayton… A voyage round Great Britain… 1815
Fear is something a horseman should never exhibit in his conntenance or voice, as the horse is a close observer, and soon learns to take advantage of such indications to become careless of control, if not indeed aggressive.
R. Gleason… Gleason’s horse book… 1832
After a very little talking, which he was careless of and quite indifferent to, they told him he was to go to Newgate, and took him away.
Dickens… Barnaby… 1841
On he went, careless of the burning heat and the hot rays of the sun.
C. Lever… The Daltons… 1852
Mr. Lascelles might have been a more congenial companion, but he was taciturn by nature, and utterly careless of being agreeable to others.
C. Cameron… English Life… 1855
[Friedrich Wilhelm] stays well at home, careless of affairs that are not his.
T. Carlyle… History of Friedrich… 1859
I remember that I made a last appeal to her as we walked towards it, and that we loitered on the bridge, careless of who might see us there, in a final conflict of our wills.
H. Wells… The Passionate Friends… 1913
-) With the prepositions “about”, “on”, “upon”, “toward” + noun:
I was very indifferent and careless upon this subject; but not a little uneasy at finding that my dress, so different from that of the company to which I belonged, attracted general notice and observation.
F. Burney… Evelina… 1778
Both sexes… seem very careless about their hair, and have nothing like combs to dress it with.
J. Cook… The Three Voyages… 1821
While the young bees are in the larva state, the utmost care is taken of them. If any member of the hive is rude or careless toward the egg, or worm, or the yet unhatched pupa, the nurses are very angry.
Merry’s museum, vol. 5-6… 1842
He got quite careless about his dress.
H. Wells… The Wonderful Visit… 1895
-) With the prepositional construction “as to” + a noun, a gerund, or a dependent clause introduced by an interrogative adverb:
Reckless enough as to facts, he is never careless as to effect.
The westminister review… 1824-1914
From preferring to be good, rather than to seem so, the people had now become equally careless as to being and seeming.
Pinnock… The Guide to knowledge… 1833
… careless as to results, indifferent to obstacles.
W. Ainsworth… Rookwood… 1834
In no part of the kingdom were the farmers more careless as to the breed, providing only that the cows were true Suffolks.
Youatt… Cattle… 1834
-) With a subordinate interrogative clause (she is careless where he went = she does not care where he went):
… when they found detection approaching them, they wished to ward it off, careless what were the means, careless who was the instrument.
Gurney… The trial of Charles… 1814
To avoid observation, she was too happy to retire again into a corner with him who was now the whole world to her. Never had she looked more lovely, never had he felt prouder of her charms; yet they danced the first dance together, careless who was looking at them, thinking only of themselves.
M. Hudson… Almack’s 1826
… he still threw his line, in thoughtful mood, and seemed all too careless whether the fish were caught or not.
G. Rainsford… The robber… 1838
As he proceeded, careless in which direction, he met many with whom he had been acquainted.
Marryat… The Phantom Ship… 1839
You must… give me some fish... Any one kind of fish, I am entirely careless which.
J. Bentham… The works… 1843
We had gone out by the front door; we soon traversed the park; and getting into the lanes, hurried on, ignorant and careless where we were going.
Marsh-Caldwell… Mount Sorel… 1845
“I promise!” she cried aloud, at intervals, careless who might notice her, and trusting that Alice might be yet within hearing.
J. Vincent… Lady Alice… 1849
… careless which way I turned my steps, crossed the river.
F. Smedley… Frank Fairlegh… 1850
Letter-writing has become an easy [… thing]. We write because we have got something to say, feeling careless how it is said.
The living age, vol. 44… 1855
At the corner of the street he stopped to light another cigar, and possibly to ask himself what he was doing otherwise. If so, the answer was indefinite and vague. Who knows what he is doing, who is careless what he does!
Dickens… Our Mutual Friend… 1864
-) With a dependent clause, introduced by the conjunction “that”:
The great triremes and quinqueremes rushed onward past the lagging transports, careless, in the mad race for safety, that they were leaving the greater number of their comrades defenceless in the rear of the flight.
C. Kingsley… Hypatia… 1853
-) 3. (Of a person or a similar animal) having little or insufficient care in doing anything.
-) Synonyms: inaccurate, negligent.
-) Antonyms: careful, cautious.
It is, doubtless, the natural fertility of the country, combined with the mildness and serenity of the climate, that renders the natives so careless in their cultivation, that, in many places, though, overflowing with the richest productions, the smallest traces of it cannot be observed.
The Three Voyages… J. Cook… 1821
Strabo informs us that, in his time, the copyists were so careless that they neglected to compare what they wrote with the exemplar.
W. Stevenson… Life… 1826
The work is thus done much better and cheaper, as it could be done with fewer men, and without the danger that often occurs by careless men neglecting their duty.
The Yearbook of facts in science and art.. 1851
Possibly the writer was careless in speaking of this subject.
A. Wigan… The great wonders… 1856
I mention this to show that he was not careless in his habits, but that, on the contrary, he always took the greatest precautions against fraud or violence.
A. Pinkerton… The Somnambulist… 1875
He… appeared to be careless in his dress.
Biographia Epistolaris… 1911
-) 4. -) a. (Of an act, a personal quality) done, caused, or said with little, insufficient, or no care; characteristic of carelessness. -) b. (Of the manner of doing something) characteristic of carelessness.
-) Antonyms: careful, heedful, solicitous.
-) Synonyms: unconcerned; unheedful.
The dialogue was soon concluded; and with the same careless indifference with which they had approached each other, the mother turned towards the inner end of the yard, and the girl to the gate at which she had entered.
Dickens… Sketches by Boz… 1836
The right arm of the Chess-Player is extended at full length before him, at right angles with his body, and lying, in an apparently careless position, by the side of the board.
Poe… Maelzel’s Chess-Player… 1836
… approaching him [the villain] in a careless manner, as if about to address him, [Peters] seized him by the throat, and, before he could utter a single cry, tossed him over the bulwarks.
Poe… The Narrative… 1838
… his son leaned in an equally careless attitude against a donkey, which, with a pair of panniers and a bundle of stakes upon its back, formed a conspicuous feature in the group.
W. Ainsworth… Mervyn… 1858
-) Words derived from “care”: carelessly (adv.), carelessness, carelesswise, carer, caretake, care-taker, care-taking, cared, careful, carefully, carefulness, uncaring, uncaringly, uncaringness, uncared-for, uncareful, uncarefully, uncarefulness, overcare (noun), over-careful, over-carefully, over-carefulness, over-caring.
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