ROGET'S THESAURUS OF ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES ...

V. be inattentive &c adj.; overlook, disregard; pass by &c (neglect) 460; not observe &c
457; think little of.
close one's eyes to, shut one's eyes to; pay no attention to; dismiss from one's
thoughts, discard from one's thoughts, discharge from one's thoughts, dismiss from one's
mind, discard from one's mind, discharge from one's mind; drop the subject, think no
more of; set aside, turn aside, put aside; turn away from, turn one's attention from, turn a
deaf ear to, turn one's back upon.
abstract oneself, dream, indulge in reverie.
escape notice, escape attention; come in at one ear and go out at the other; forget &c
(have no remembrance) 506.
call off the attention, draw off the attention, call away the attention, divert the
attention, distract the mind; put out of one's head; disconcert, discompose; put out,
confuse, perplex, bewilder, moider † , fluster, muddle, dazzle; throw a sop to Cerberus.
Adj. inattentive; unobservant, unmindful, heedless, unthinking, unheeding,
undiscerning † ; inadvertent; mindless, regardless, respectless † , listless &c (indifferent)
866; blind, deaf; bird-witted; hand over head; cursory, percursory † ; giddy-brained,
scatter-brained, hare-brained; unreflective, unreflecting † , ecervele [Fr.]; offhand; dizzy,
muzzy † , brainsick † ; giddy, giddy as a goose; wild, harum-scarum, rantipole † , highflying;
heedless, careless &c (neglectful) 460.
inconsiderate, thoughtless.
absent, abstracted, distrait; absentminded, lost; lost in thought, wrapped in thought;
rapt, in the clouds, bemused; dreaming on other things, musing on other things;
preoccupied, engrossed &c (attentive) 457; daydreaming, in a reverie &c n.; off one's
guard &c (inexpectant) 508 [Obs.]; napping; dreamy; caught napping.
disconcerted, distracted, put out &c v..
Adv. inattentively, inadvertently, absent-mindedly &c adj. † ; per incuriam [Lat.], sub
silentio [Lat.].
Int. stand at ease, stand easy!,
Phr. the attention wanders; one's wits gone a woolgathering, one's wits gone a bird's
nesting; it never entered into one's head; the mind running on other things; one's thoughts
being elsewhere; had it been a bear it would have bitten you.
459. Care [Vigilance.] -- N. care, solicitude, heed; heedfulness &c adj.; scruple &c
(conscientiousness) 939.
watchfulness &c adj.; vigilance, surveillance, eyes of Argus † , watch, vigil, look out,
watch and ward, loeil du maitre [Fr.].
alertness &c (activity) 682; attention &c 457; prudence &c, circumspection &c
(caution) 864; anxiety; forethought &c 510; precaution &c (preparation) 673; tidiness
&c (order) 58, (cleanliness) 652; accuracy &c (exactness) 494; minuteness, attention to
detail.
V. be careful &c adj.; reck † ; take care &c (be cautious) 864; pay attention to &c 457;
take care of; look to, look after, see to, see after; keep an eye on, keep a sharp eye on;
chaperon, matronize † , play gooseberry; keep watch, keep watch and ward; mount guard,
set watch, watch; keep in sight, keep in view; mind, mind one's business.