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harum-scarum
[ hair-uhm-skair-uhm, har-uhm-skar-uhm ]
/ ˈhɛər əmˈskɛər əm, ˈhær əmˈskær əm /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective
reckless; rash; irresponsible: He had a harum-scarum youth.
disorganized; uncontrolled.
adverb
recklessly; wildly: He ran harum-scarum all over the place.
noun
a reckless person.
reckless or unpredictable behavior or action.
OTHER WORDS FOR harum-scarum
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Origin of harum-scarum
OTHER WORDS FROM harum-scarum
har·um-scar·um·ness, nounWords nearby harum-scarum
Hartmann's operation, Hartnell, Hartnup disease, hartshorn, hart's-tongue, harum-scarum, Harun al-Rashid, Harunobu, haruspex, haruspicy, Harvard
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use harum-scarum in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for harum-scarum
harum-scarum
/ (ˈhɛərəmˈskɛərəm) /
adjective, adverb
in a reckless way or of a reckless nature
noun
a person who is impetuous or rash
Word Origin for harum-scarum
C17: perhaps from hare (in obsolete sense: harass) + scare, variant of stare 1; compare helter-skelter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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