harum-scarum

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
harum-scarum
    adv 1: in a wild or reckless manner; "dashing harum-scarum all
           over the place"; "running pell-mell up the stairs" [syn:
           {harum-scarum}, {pell-mell}]
    adj 1: cheerfully irresponsible; "carefree with his money";
           "freewheeling urban youths"; "had a harum-scarum youth"
           [syn: {carefree}, {devil-may-care}, {freewheeling},
           {happy-go-lucky}, {harum-scarum}, {slaphappy}]
    n 1: a reckless impetuous irresponsible person [syn:
         {daredevil}, {madcap}, {hothead}, {swashbuckler},
         {lunatic}, {harum-scarum}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Harum-scarum \Har"um-scar"um\ (h[^a]r"[u^]m*sk[^a]r"[u^]m), a.
   [Cf. hare,v. t., and scare, v. t.]
   Wild; giddy; flighty; rash; thoughtless. [Colloq.]
   [1913 Webster]

         They had a quarrel with Sir Thomas Newcome's own son, a
         harum-scarum lad.                        --Thackeray.
   [1913 Webster]
    

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