could care less


could care less

Does not care about something at all. The phrase is a colloquial version of "could not care less." Fine, I could care less what you do! Good riddance! You're going out with my ex-boyfriend? Great. I could care less.
See also: care, could, less

(I) could(n't) care less.

Inf. It doesn't matter to me. (The less bears the heaviest stress in both versions. Despite the apparent contradiction, either reading of this—both the affirmative and negative—usually have the same meaning. The exception would be in a sentence where the could bears the heaviest stress: I COULD care less, [but I don't.].) Tom: The rain is coming! The carpet will get wet! Mary: I couldn't care less. Bill: I'm going to go in there and tell off the boss? John: I could care less.
See also: care, could, less

could(n't) care less

[one is] unable to care at all; it does not matter at all. John couldn't care less whether he goes to the party or not. I could care less if I live or die.
See also: care, could, less

I could care less

See also: care, could, less
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References in periodicals archive ?
Burke and two down-to-earth detectives (who could care less about the mysteries of the East) launch their investigation.
Not the fetishism of the swoosh, but the subversive idea that wearing Nike shoes is actually like saying, "I cashed in and I could care less about staying true to any unspoken skate ethics." It's skaters wanting to look good looking bad, and it is a terribly good marketing ploy.
Opinions among the search consultants varied from neutral to positive with the most sobering answer being "It's neutral; my clients could care less too." The majority of consultants concurred that all things being equal the MD would have a competitive edge.
I could care less about turning around or looking at the audience and doing all this stuff.
Garner's A Dictionary of Modern American Usage (Oxford University Press, 1998): "couldn't care less is the correct and logical phrasing, not could care less--e.g.: 'The American people could care less [read couldn't care less] who's White House Chief of Staff.' George Will, on This Week with David Brinkley, 3 July 1994.
Nobody could care less at the moment about being caught.
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