carful

English

Etymology

From Middle English carful (cartful), equivalent to car + -ful. Shift in meaning follows that of "cart" to modern senses of car. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Koareful (a cartful), West Frisian karfol (a cartful), German Karrevoll (a cartful).

Noun

carful (plural carfuls or carsful)

  1. As much as a car will hold. (Usually with reference to an automobile; sometimes with reference to a railroad car, especially in 19th-century texts.)
    Coordinate terms: carload (sometimes synonymous); busful, planeful, trailerful, truckful, vanful, wagonful
    Tourists were arriving by the carful.

Anagrams

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From caru + -ful.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkɑr.ful/

Adjective

carful

  1. anxious
  2. careful
  3. mindful
    • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Assumption of St. John the Apostle"
      Drusiana þa ārās swilce of slæpe āwreht, and, carfull be ðæs apostoles hæse, hām ġewende.
      Drusiana then arose as if from sleep awakened, and, mindful of the apostle's command, returned home.

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Middle English: careful
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.