Feckless

Adjective

Definition: Lacking purpose or vitality; ineffective, careless.

Synonyms: Aimless, Indolent, Listless, Negligent, Thoughtless

Antonyms: Diligent, Responsible, Purposeful

Examples:

Despite having all the resources, he remained feckless and never achieved anything significant.
The feckless driver caused a collision by not paying attention to the road.

Mnemonics:

Think of someone being too careless and not taking any action, hence being feckless.
The prefix "fe-" can remind you of "failure" or "ineffective", indicating the lack of purpose or efficiency.

Origin:

Feckless originates from the Scots word "feck" meaning "effect" or "value".

Historical Usage:

Feckless has been used since the early 16th century to describe someone lacking purpose or vitality.

Idiom:

"Feckless youth"

Explanation:

Refers to young people who are perceived as lacking ambition, direction, or motivation.

Misconception:

Confusing "feckless" with "reckless".

Explanation:

While both words end in "less", "feckless" means lacking purpose and vitality, while "reckless" means lacking caution or care.