different between headlong vs incautious

English

Etymology

From Middle English hedlong, alteration of hedling, heedling, hevedlynge (“headlong”), assimilated to long. More at headling.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h?dl??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?h?dl??/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /?h?dl??/
• Rhymes: -?dl??
• Hyphenation: head?long

Adverb

headlong (not comparable)

1. With the head first or down.
2. With an unrestrained forward motion.

   Figures out today show the economy plunging headlong into recession.

3. Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation, in haste, hastily

Antonyms

• arselong (UK dialect)

Translations

Adjective

headlong (comparative more headlong, superlative most headlong)

1. Precipitous.
2. Plunging downwards head foremost.
3. Rushing forward without restraint.
4. (figuratively) Reckless, impetuous.
   • 1869, RD Blackmoore, Lorna Doone, II:

     “Time is up,” cried another boy, more headlong than head-monitor.

Derived terms

• headlongness
• headlongs

Translations

Verb

headlong (third-person singular simple present headlongs, present participle headlonging, simple past and past participle headlonged)

1. (transitive) To precipitate.

Anagrams

• Hogeland

English

Etymology

From in- (negative prefix) +? cautious.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?n?k???s/

  Rhymes: -????s

Adjective

incautious (comparative more incautious, superlative most incautious)

1. careless, reckless, not exercising proper caution.
   • 1912, Stratemeyer Syndicate, Baseball Joe on the School Nine Chapter 1

     "Yes, let 'Sister' Davis have a whack at it too," urged George Bland. Tom Davis, who was Joe Matson's particular chum, was designated "Sister" because, in an incautious moment, when first coming to Excelsior Hall, he had shown a picture of his very pretty sister, Mabel.

   Synonym: uncautious

Derived terms

• incautiously
• incautiousness

Related terms

• incaution

Translations