Dictionary

retchless en · ADJ

Etymology

From Middle English recche (“care, heed”) + -less. Compare English reckless.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) careless; reckless
   • For if so be that God justly do thus give to Satan and his seed to vex and molest Christ and his penitent people, O what and how justly may he and will he give to Satan to entreat the retchless and impenitent sinners! 1848, John Bradford, Aubrey Townsend, The Writings of John Bradford, M.A., page 409:
   • They are such retchless flies as you are, that blow cutpurses abroad in every corner; your foolish having of money makes 'em. 1614, Ben Jonson, Bartholmew Fair:
   • Retchless of laws, affects to rule alone 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
   • But this care and charity of Colonel Walrond's, lost him nothing in the conclusion; for he got such love of his servants; as they thought all too little they could do for him; and the love of the servants there, is of much concernment to the masters, not only in their diligent and painful labour, but in foreseeing and preventing mischiefs that often happen; by the carelessness and slothfulness of retchless servants; sometimes by laying fire so negligently, as whole lands of canes and houses too, are burnt down and consumed, to the utter ruin and undoing of their masters: 1999, Frank Felsenstein, English Trader, Indian Maid, page 61:

Forms

Relateds

retchlessly · retch · retchlessness