feckless English · revision 1401

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfɛkləs/, /ˈfɛklɪs/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Scots, formed from ''feck'' “effect, value, vigour”^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) and the suffix [[-less]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) ''Feck'' is a Scottish shortened form of [[effect]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of things, ineffective or valueless; of people, lacking vigour or capacity (1599).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline credits Thomas Carlyle with popularizing the word, while its opposite, ''feckful'', stayed in dialect.^(Etymonline) Besides weakness and ineffectiveness, it now often implies irresponsibility.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 15th century – ''feck'', effect, value.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1585 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1599 – ineffective, feeble.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1862 – ''fecklessness'', ''fecklessly''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Weak and ineffective; lacking purpose or [[vitality]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Careless and [[irresponsible]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fecklessly]]

+ * [[fecklessness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[effect]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}