Literary notes about Lackadaisical (AI summary)
In literature, "lackadaisical" is deployed as a versatile descriptor that conveys a distinctive tone of apathy, indifference, and even subtle irony. Writers use it to characterize individuals whose actions and attitudes border on the inattentive or unenergetic, whether critiquing a person's complacency, as when a speaker dismisses uninspired behavior [1] or noting the unhurried, detached air in academic or social settings [2]. At times, the word helps imbue characters or narratives with a layer of sardonic humor or social commentary, as seen in the way a cool, unemotional tone is contrasted with an underlying critique of laziness [3] or when a casual detachment amplifies the overall mood of disinterest [4]. This range of usage underlines how "lackadaisical" enriches literary expression by succinctly encapsulating both the exterior and subtextual manifestations of lethargy and nonchalance.
- "I said it only out of politeness and force of habit, and I can assure you I am as tired of this lackadaisical idiocy as you are."
— from Figures of Earth: A Comedy of Appearances by James Branch Cabell - Lackadaisical in manner and matter, his carelessness provokes equal carelessness in his scholars.
— from Sunday-School SuccessA Book of Practical Methods for Sunday-School Teachers and Officers by Amos R. (Amos Russel) Wells - "Madge," said Graydon, ruefully, "I might as well tell you, for I'm sure to be found out: I once called you 'lackadaisical.'"
— from A Young Girl's Wooing by Edward Payson Roe - Say to a crowded theatre in a lackadaisical manner: "It seems to me that the house is on fire," and your announcement may be greeted with a laugh.
— from The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie and J. Berg Esenwein
