- care|ful
- care|ful «KAIR fuhl», adjective.1. thinking what one says or watching what one does; taking pains; watchful; cautious: »
He is careful to tell the truth at all times. I felt just sufficient fear to render me careful (John Tyndall). You'll get a good dinner, but be careful of the sweets (Graham Greene).
2. showing care; done with thought or effort; exact; through: »Arithmetic requires careful work. His drawing was careful.
SYNONYM(S): painstaking, meticulous, accurate.3. full of care or concern; attentive to the interests of others; exercising care: »She was careful of the feelings of others. Be careful of the horses, Sam…don't ride them too fast (Harriet Beecher Stowe).
5. Archaic. (of things) fraught with care; attended with sorrow, trouble, or anxiety: »He upon his careful couch hears all around the deep and longdrawn breath of sleep (Robert Southey).
–care´ful|ly, adverb.–care´ful|ness, noun.Synonym Study 1 Careful, cautious, wary mean watchful in speaking and acting. Careful means being observant and giving serious attention and thought to what one is doing, especially to details: »He is a careful driver.
Cautious means very careful, looking ahead for possible risks or dangers, and guarding against them by taking no chances: »She is cautious about making promises.
Wary emphasizes the idea of being mistrustful and on the alert for danger or trouble: »He is wary of overfriendly people.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
