harum-scarum

English

Etymology

Uncertain. Likely from hare (“harass, harry”) 'em (“them”) and scare 'em (“frighten them”);[1][2] alternately the first element may be from hare (“rabbit-like animals”),[3] or the second element may be a variant of stare.[4] Attested from the late 17th century.

Pronunciation

(US) IPA^(key): /ˌhɛəɹəmˈskɛəɹəm/

Adjective

harum-scarum (not comparable)

wild, careless, irresponsible
- 1832, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Eugene Aram
  Lester's good heart will be to hear that little Peter is so improved;--no longer a dissolute, harum-scarum fellow, throwing away his money, and always in debt.

Translations

wild, careless, irresponsible

Bulgarian: безотговорен (bg) (bezotgovoren), лекомислен (bg) (lekomislen)

Russian: безрассудный (ru) (bezrassudnyj)

Adverb

harum-scarum (not comparable)

wildly, carelessly, irresponsibly
- 1800, Maria Edgeworth, Castle Rackrent
  […] for he never looked after anything at all, but harum-scarum called for everything as if we were conjurors, or he in a public-house.

Noun

harum-scarum (plural harum-scarums)

A giddy, rash person.

References

“harum-scarum” in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary.
“harum-scarum” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
“harum-scarum, adv., adj., n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
“harum-scarum” in the Collins English Dictionary

[1] “harum-scarum” in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary.

[2] “harum-scarum” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.

[3] “harum-scarum, adv., adj., n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

[4] “harum-scarum” in the Collins English Dictionary