wretchless

English

Etymology

Alteration of retchless, equivalent to retch (“reck; care; regard”) +‎ -less. See reckless.

Adjective

wretchless (comparative more wretchless, superlative most wretchless)

1. (obsolete) reckless
   • 1616, Ben Jonson, The Devil Is an Ass:

     That you should be so wretchless!

   • 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

     wretchless neglect of religion

2. (obsolete) disregarded
   • c. 1608-1634, John Webster, Appius and Virginia

     Sleep you now
     Upon the bench, when your deaf ears should listen
     Unto the wretchless clamours of the poor?

Related terms

• wretchlessly
• wretchlessness

References

• “wretchless”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.