Word of the Day

Sunday, March 18, 2001

feckless

\FEK-lis\ , adjective;

Ineffective; having no real worth or purpose.

Worthless; irresponsible; generally incompetent and ineffectual.

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Quotes:

He was a great admirer of the poetry of plain speech. He despised mere feckless adornments of language or thought.

-- Richard Elman, Namedropping: Mostly Literary Memoirs

Nelson spent decades in feckless pursuit of a superstructure for implementing his grand design.

-- Paul Andrews, How The Web Was Won

Grandpa was a jovial, good-natured man but feckless and addicted to drink, producing in Lucy an everlasting hatred of liquor that she must have drummed into her grandson.

-- Ron Chernow, Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Origin:

Feckless is from Scots feck, alteration of effect + -less.