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Glite Dictionary
to care a jackstraw

to care a jackstraw

9.9
To feel no interest or concern about something
  • idiom
  • Archaic
translation icon : importar un pimiento
  • I don't care a jackstraw about the rumors.

Examples

  • She doesn't care a jackstraw about office gossip and rumors.

  • He cared a jackstraw for her opinion.

  • Do you think he cares a jackstraw whether they approve?

  • I cared a jackstraw for those rules when I was younger.

  • He doesn't care a jackstraw what people think about his choices.

  • She cared a jackstraw about her grades in school, focusing more on having fun.

  • I care a jackstraw whether it rains or shines on the weekend.

Synonyms

to care
vsto care a jackstraw
∞ 1.0

To feel that someone or something matters to you

expresses the opposite attitude of indifference or little interest
to give a damn
vsto care a jackstraw
  • NSFW
172 8.8

To not care at all about someone or something

is mainly used to say there is almost no concern
to give a hoot
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Archaic
9 8.1

To not care at all about something

focuses on expressing little or no interest rather than occasional concern
to give a rat
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Slang
9 9.9

To care at all about something

is the opposite stance, showing little or no concern
to give a rat's arse
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To not care at all about something

is the contrasting expression that shows indifference or low interest
to don't care a button
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To not care at all

is the same indifference expressed by a colloquial phrase
to care a hang
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To feel no interest or worry at all about something

conveys similar strong indifference without always needing negative form
to give a monkey's
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Slang
1 9.9

To not care at all about something, usually in negative sentences

is a phrase that stresses having very little or no concern
to care a pin
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Archaic
9.9

To not mind something at all

is nearly identical, also showing minimal or no concern
to care a lottle
vsto care a jackstraw
  • UK
9.9

Not be very interested in something, said as a joke

means the same lack of interest but is less playful
to give a sneck posset
vsto care a jackstraw
  • Archaic
9.9

Not care at all about something

is the modern opposing sense of showing no concern

Antonyms

to value
285 1.9

To think a person or thing is important

Surface Forms

care a jackstraw infinitive
cared a jackstraw past
cared a jackstraw past participle
caring a jackstraw present participle
cares a jackstraw third person singular

Morphology

care + a + jackstraw

The core meaning (‘to care very little’) is partially derivable from combining 'care' with a notion of a tiny/insignificant object (jackstraw = a small straw), so there is a compositional link suggesting minimal value. However, 'jackstraw' is archaic/obscure and the pattern is idiomatic (the 'don’t care a X' construction requires idiomatic knowledge), so a B1 learner would not reliably predict the exact meaning from the parts alone.

Etymology

The idiom care a jackstraw may come from an old game where people used tiny straw sticks called jackstraws. One popular story says a jackstraw was so small and unimportant that to 'care a jackstraw' meant you did not care at all, so today the phrase means 'to care very little or not at all'.