α. 1800s– devil-may-careish, 1800s– devil-may-carish.
β. 1800s–1900s devil-me-careish, 1800s–1900s devil-me-carish.
devil-may-carishadj.
/ˌdɛvlmeɪˈkɛːrɪʃ/, /ˈdɛvlmeɪkɛːrɪʃ/, U.S. /ˌdɛv(ə)lˌmeɪˈkɛrɪʃ/ Characterized by a devil-may-care attitude; cheerfully reckless.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > incautiousness > [adjective] > rash or reckless
recklesseOE
redmodOE
unreckless?c1225
hastivec1300
racklec1300
testyc1374
rabbisha1387
temeraryc1410
temerous1461
rash1509
temerarious1532
hare-brained1548
temerarec1550
hare-brain1566
hot-spurred1573
overrash1577
hotspur1586
madcap1591
wretchless1598
Phaetontic1608
zeal-blind1615
Phaetontal1617
unresponsable1619
Phaetontical1630
phaetonicala1640
Phaetonic1708
hell-bent1731
harum-scarum1751
unresponsible1764
suicidal1768
rumgumptious1781
shy1787
devil-may-care1799
bullheaded1818
devil-may-carish1825
temeritous1892
kamikaze1952
1825 Edinb. Dramatic Rev. 21 Nov. 862 The junta at the table, advised Mr Thorne not to appear so devil-me-carish like in his acting, and he would do very well.
1838 Figaro in London 20 Oct. 164/2 An unsophisticated polish and devil-may-care-ish etiquette..adorns the court of St. Petersburgh.
1957 Amarillo (Texas) Sunday News-Globe 16 June 4 c/2 In ‘Gunfight at O. K. Corral’, Douglas is consumptively consistent and devil-may-careish.
1999 Independent (Nexis) 23 Dec. (Sport section) 19 Blunt, aggressive, devil-may-carish and utterly devoid of airs and graces.
Derivatives
devil-may-ˈcarishness n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > incautiousness > [noun] > rashness or recklessness
recklessnessOE
resec1275
outragea1387
rechelesshipc1390
wantonnessc1390
hastivessa1393
recklesslaika1400
racklenessc1405
recklessheadc1410
headiness1447
temerity?a1475
lavishness1477
hastivitya1500
rashnessa1500
Ate1587
temerousness1598
temeritude1623
wretchlessness1625
hare-brainedness1656
rantum-scantum1695
temerariousness1711
blindness1796
devil-may-carishness1829
devil-may-careness1834
devil-may-care1836
rattle-brain1838
devil-may-careism1841
bullheadedness1858
harum-scarumness1863
madcappery1905
1829 Standard 29 June A dash of that species of spirit which Irishmen call ‘devil-may-care-ishness’.
1906 J. Le Gallienne tr. P. Nansen Love's Trilogy 73 Every day drives me along in a whirl of fear and devil-me-carishness, heaven-blue joy, and black despair.
2004 Washington Post (Nexis) 20 Feb. t42 The titular drama queen whose extremes of dress, behavior and devil-may-care-ishness will put her in good stead with any outsider girl in need of a role model.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1825