care English · revision 1828

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Beowulf)|origins=gem-pro *karō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɛə/ ''(UK)''; /kɛr/ ''(US)''^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[inh|enm|care]], [[inh|ang|caru|t=sorrow, anxiety, grief]], also [[m|ang|cearu]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and the verb is from Old English [[m|ang|carian]], [[m|ang|cearian|t=to be anxious, to grieve]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Both go back to [[gem-pro|*karō|t=lament; grief, care]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) whose descendants include [[osx|kara|t=sorrow]], [[goh|chara|t=wail, lament]], [[got|𐌺𐌰𐍂𐌰|tr=kara|t=sorrow, trouble, care]] and the first element of German [[m|de|Karfreitag|t=Good Friday]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) Barnhart and Klein connect it with a root meaning “to cry out”, seen in [[la|garrīre|t=to chatter]], [[grc|γῆρυς|tr=gêrus|t=voice]] and [[sga|gáir|t=cry, outcry]];^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) if so, the sense went from “cry” to “lament” to “grief”.^(Etymonline) Despite the likeness it is not related to [[la|cūra|t=care]].^(Etymonline)^(Skeat 1911)^(Barnhart 1988) The same Germanic word gave the sense “scanty, stingy” in [[nl|karig]] and [[de|karg]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) and English [[chary]] is related.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Sorrow, anxiety, grief (Old English; about 725 in ''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Century Dictionary, quoted by Etymonline, stresses that the primary sense was inward grief, while Latin ''cura'' meant pains taken over something.^(Etymonline) Weekley compares the later sense “close attention” with ''take pains''.^(Weekley 1921) Serious attention and heed are recorded in Old English,^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) and the sense “charge, protective oversight” from about 1400, which is the sense of ''care of'' on letters (1840).^(Etymonline) The verb's negative uses came first: ''not care'' is from the mid-13th century, and positive senses such as “be fond of” (1520s) and “be inclined” (1550s) followed.^(Etymonline) ''Take care'' and “an object of concern” date from the 1580s,^(Etymonline) as do the many comparisons of indifference such as ''not care a fig'' (or a pin, a straw, a button).^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) ''Couldn't care less'' is recorded from 1946 and ''could care less'' in the same sense from 1955.^(Etymonline) In modern British English ''care'' also means welfare services and local-authority guardianship of children (''taken into care'').^(COED 2004)^(Chambers 2008) Weekley notes that the Scots ''Care Sunday'', the fifth in Lent, kept the old sense of sorrow.^(Weekley 1921)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''caru'', sorrow, grief; verb ''carian'' (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1000 – anxiety; serious attention, heed.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1230 – ''care for'', to look after.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-13th century – ''not care''.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – charge, oversight.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1520s – to be fond of.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1580s – ''take care''; an object of concern.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1840 – ''care of'' in addresses.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1946 – ''couldn't care less''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1955 – ''could care less''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The provision of what someone or something needs for health, welfare or upkeep: ''the care of the elderly''.^(COED 2004)^(AHD)

+ # ''(British)'' Local-authority guardianship of children: ''taken into care''.^(COED 2004)^(Chambers 2008)

+ # Serious attention or caution: ''handle with care''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Black's Law 2004)

+ # Charge or supervision: ''left in my care''.^(AHD)^(Chambers 2008)

+ # Worry or anxiety; a cause of it: ''without a care in the world''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Grief, sorrow.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To feel concern or interest: ''I don't care''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To look after or provide for: ''cared for her mother''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To like or want: ''would you care for some tea?''^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To mind or object.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[carer]]

+ * [[aftercare]]

+ * [[carefree]]

+ * [[careful]]

+ * [[caregiver]]

+ * [[careless]]

+ * [[caretaker]]

+ * [[careworn]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[chary]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that ''I could care less'' is illogical but argues that this is no reason to bar it from casual speech.^(AHD) Random House distinguishes ''take care'' (attention to one particular detail) from ''take pains'' (sustained effort that nothing is overlooked).^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}