different between fecklessly vs feckless

English

Etymology

feckless +? -ly

Adverb

fecklessly (comparative more fecklessly, superlative most fecklessly)

1. In a feckless manner

English

Etymology

From Scots feckless, variant of Scots fectless (“ineffectual”) (an aphetic variant of effectless), equivalent to effect +? -less.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /?f?kl?s/, /?f?kl?s/
• (US)

Adjective

feckless (comparative more feckless, superlative most feckless)

1. Lacking purpose.
   • 2005, Canberra Times, September 10

     "It is the beauty of great games when they are played at their highest level and the extraordinary thing now is that we do not have to trawl back through all the years of your inexorable progress from feckless beach boy to master sportsman."

2. Without skill, ineffective, incompetent.
3. (Britain) Lacking the courage to act in any meaningful way.
4. (Britain, archaic) Lacking vitality.

Synonyms

• (weak, ineffective): futile, hopeless, ineffective, ineffectual, feeble, meaningless, useless
• (worthless, irresponsible): unpurposed, worthless, aimless, careless, reckless, irresponsible

Antonyms

• (weak, ineffective): effective, efficient, meaningful, useful
• (worthless, irresponsible): purposeful, careful, responsible

Related terms

• fecklessly
• fecklessness

Translations

Further reading

• feckless in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• feckless in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

References

Scots

Alternative forms

• fectless (obsolete)

Etymology

feck (“value”) +? -less

Adjective

feckless (not comparable)

1. ineffective

References

• “feckless” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.