/careless/definition

careless

-) Adjective. 

-) Pronunciation and accent: kɛəlɪs.

-) Etymology: it is analysable into the noun of CARE and the suffix –less.

-) Comparative form: more careless.

-) Superlative form: most careless

-) 1. Obsolete and pristine use: having no care (anxiety); unaffected by uneasiness of mind. 

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.

Charles Lever… The Daltons 1852

-) 2. (Of somebody) having no care for something; this is, not concerning oneself with something; not attending to it.

-) Antonyms: careful, concerned, interested, mindful, heedful, attentive, solicitous, regardful, cautious, chary.

-) Synonyms: 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

-) With the preposition of + a noun or a gerund (what is uncared-for):

I am careless at present of consequences.

Samuel 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.

Richard 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.

Rudolph 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 Rudge 1841

On he went, careless of the burning heat and the hot rays of the sun.

Charles 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.

Clara Cameron… English life 1855

[Friedrich Wilhelm] stays well at home, careless of affairs that are not his.

Thomas 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.

Herbert Wells… The Passionate Friends

-) With the preposition about, on or upon, toward + noun of what is uncared-for:

He got quite careless about his dress.

Herbert Wells… The Wonderful Visit

Both sexes, […], seem very careless about their hair, and have nothing like combs to dress it with.

Robert Kerr… Voyages and Travels

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.

Fanny Burney… Evelina

He seems to have been unaccountably careless on a subject which, with most authors, is one of paramount importance.

The Dublin University magazine, vol. 41

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

-) With the prepositional construction as to, before a noun, a gerund, or a dependent clause introduced by an interrogative adverb, designative of what is uncared-for:

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.

William Ainsworth… Rookwood 1834

You are careless as to keeping your word.

The Eclectic magazine, vol. 46

Some mothers push their children from home, just like the little bird pushes its young from its nest, careless as to where they may go, or how they may fare.

The Mothers’ friend, ed. by Jane Morgan

Reckless enough as to facts, he is never careless as to effect.

The westminister review

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, significative of what is uncared-for (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.

Marianne Hudson… Almack’s 1826

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.

Jeremy 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.

Jedediah Vincent… Lady Alice 1849

[…] as he followed, careless where he went, he continued talking to himself aloud after the manner of restless self-discontented men.

Charles Kingsley… Hypatia 1853

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

Provided he receives the stipulated salary, he is careless how he earns it.

Monthly magazine and British register, vol. 19

[…] too many […] are careless who rules, are indifferent to the character of the executive.

Blackwood’s Edinburgh magazine, vol. 43

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

… careless which way I turned my steps, crossed the river.

Frank Smedley… Frank Fairlegh 1904

[…] he still threw his line, in thoughtful mood, and seemed all too careless whether the fish were caught or not.

George Rainsford… The robber 1838

-) With a dependent clause, introduced by the conjunction that, significative of what is uncared-for:

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.

Charles Kingsley… Hypatia 1853

-) 3. (Of a person, or of a similar animal) having little or insufficient care in doing anything.

-) Synonyms: inaccurate, negligent.

-) Antonyms: careful, cautious.

The work is thus done much better and cheaper, as it can 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..

Possibly the writer was careless in speaking of this subject.

Arthur 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.

Allan Pinkerton… The Somnambulist… 1875

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.

Robert Kerr… Voyages and Travels

He… appeared to be careless in his dress.

The Parterre of fiction, etc., vol. I 

Strabo informs us that in his time the copyists were so careless that they neglected to compare what they wrote with the exemplar.

William Stevenson… Life… 1826

-) 4. a. (Of an act, of 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.

[…] 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.

Edgar Poe… The Narrative…

When the Automaton hesitates in relation to its move, the exhibiter is occasionally seen to place himself very near its right side, and to lay his hand, now and then, in a careless manner upon the box.

Edgar Poe

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.

Edgar Poe 

[…] 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.

William Ainsworth… Mervyn Clitheroe 1858

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.

Charles Dickens… Sketches by Boz

-) Other English 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.