How to pronounce harum-scarum
American English pronunciation
hair-um-SKAIR-um
- IPA
- /ˌhɛɹəmˈskɛɹəm/
- Syllables
- hair · um · SKAIR · um (4 syllables, stress on the 3rd)
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What harum-scarum means
Wild and careless, rushing about without thinking
In a sentence: The harum-scarum puppy knocked over every flowerpot on the porch.
Where it comes from: It probably comes from old phrases like "hare 'em" and "scare 'em," meaning to bother them and frighten them. It shows up from the late 1600s.
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