a. [UN-1 7.]
1. Not taking thought, unmindful or regardless, of something.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Govt. Princes, Wks. (S.T.S.), II. 141. Wyne … makis man to be unthochtfull of his honour.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., IV. x. 220/2. He was not unthoughtful of the Time when publick Ones [sc. sermons] might be expected from him.
1728. R. Morris, Ess. Anc. Archit., 106. How unthoughtful of the Affair in hand?
1887. R. F. Burton, Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.), III. 71. We have foes who are not unthoughtful of us.
2. Unthinking, thoughtless.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel., xxxvii. (1536), 67. They as vnthoughtfull,… leaue the iust trauayle, and take vniust idelnes.
a. 1667. Cowley, Ess. in Verse & Prose, Solitude, iv. Here let me, careless and unthoughtful lying, Hear the soft winds above me flying.
1698. Norris, Pract. Disc., IV. 62. People … that have … a lazy, unthoughtful, listless, yawning way of talking of Religion.
1715. Jane Barker, Exilius, I. 72. The vulgar Part of the Africans are extremely unthoughtful and unpolished.
a. 1834. Coleridge, Lit. Rem. (1836), II. 10. Without which poetry becomes … evaporated into a hazy, unthoughtful, day-dreaming.
1895. C. Scott, Apple Orchards, 131. The reckless, unthoughtful, but ill-directed youth of to-day.
Hence Unthoughtfully adv.; Unthoughtfulness.
1661. J. Fell, Hammond, 205. During the current of that Tyranny,… he kept a constant equable serenity and unthoughtfulness in outward accidents.
1701. Norris, Ideal World, I. vi. 322. Never was any question … more ignorantly and unthoughtfully moved.
1709. Mrs. Manley, Secret Mem. (1736), IV. 185. Should be begin by this unthoughtfulness of enterprize, it would render him … formidable.
1848. Glen Ruther, in Wisconsin Tribune, 25 Feb., 1/4. The excitement of battle may lead men to brave death fiercely, unthoughtfully, but what a heroism that is which can calmly look death in the face and smile at the grim monster.
1884. E. W. Benson, in Life (1899), II. 29. A ceaseless reproach to the unthoughtfulness of this busy existence.
