| English Dictionary |
DEVIL-MAY-CARE
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does devil-may-care mean?
• DEVIL-MAY-CARE (adjective)
The adjective DEVIL-MAY-CARE has 2 senses:
1. cheerfully irresponsible
2. marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
Familiarity information: DEVIL-MAY-CARE used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Cheerfully irresponsible
Synonyms:
carefree; devil-may-care; freewheeling; happy-go-lucky; harum-scarum; slaphappy
Context example:
had a harum-scarum youth
Similar:
irresponsible (showing lack of care for consequences)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
Synonyms:
devil-may-care; raffish; rakish
Context example:
a cocktail party given by some...raffish bachelors
Similar:
unconventional (not conventional or conformist)
Context examples
You are a ‘good old sport’ ‘quite a decent fellow for a German,’ a hard-drinking, night-club, knock-about-town, devil-may-care young fellow.
(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"In age, talk; in childhood, tears." (Native American proverb, Hopi)
"Bread and cheese, eat and dance." (Armenian proverb)
"He who seeks, finds." (Corsican proverb)