Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Guiltless; innocent; free from fault or blame.
  • Guileless; simple.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Obs. or Prov. Eng. Quiet; peaceable; harmless; innocent.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective provincial, Northern England Blameless, guiltless, innocent.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English sakles, sacless ("innocent"), from Old English saclēas ("free from charge, innocent, safe"), from Proto-Germanic *saka-lausa- (“free from accusation”), equivalent to sake +‎ -less. Cognate with Danish sagesløs ("blameless"), Swedish saklös ("blamesless"), Icelandic saklaus ("innocent"). More at sake, -less.

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Examples

  • ` ` Maister Ringan Aikwood Poinders, I do not know what you call sackless, --- but let alone all de oils and de soot dat you say he has, and I will tell you I was dis night robbed of fifty pounds. by your oil and sooty friend, Edies Ochiltree; and he is no more in your barn even now dan I ever shall be in de kingdom of heafen. ''

    The Antiquary 1845

  • "Maister Ringan Aikwood Poinders, I do not know what you call sackless, -- but let alone all de oils and de soot dat you say he has, and I will tell you I was dis night robbed of fifty pounds by your oil and sooty friend,

    The Antiquary — Volume 02 Walter Scott 1801

  • "Maister Ringan Aikwood Poinders, I do not know what you call sackless, -- but let alone all de oils and de soot dat you say he has, and I will tell you I was dis night robbed of fifty pounds by your oil and sooty friend,

    The Antiquary — Complete Walter Scott 1801

  • “Maister Ringan Aikwood Poinders, I do not know what you call sackless, — but let alone all de oils and de soot dat you say he has, and I will tell you I was dis night robbed of fifty pounds by your oil and sooty friend, Edies Ochiltree; and he is no more in your barn even now dan

    The Antiquary 1584

  • Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently thereafter spake from heavy-mood: “Mine own brother hast thou slain, and scarce may I be called sackless of the deed.”

    The Story of the Volsungs 2008

  • Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently thereafter spake from heavy-mood: "Mine own brother hast thou slain, and scarce may I be called sackless of the deed."

    The Story of the Volsungs Anonymous 1873

  • I'll be the first to admit that the Dems are for the most part a bunch of corrupt, inept, sackless weenies but how in the name of God could anyone vote for the Republicans?

    Poll: GOP makes gains in battle for Congress 2009

  • Enter Maybin, who received a reported $14 million in guarantees while being held sackless in two seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

    On Paper, Maybin Looks an Awful Lot Like Gholston Michael Salfino 2011

  • In Ellis's case, he's sackless and has just seven tackles through six games.

    Former Jets Are Behind Enemy Lines Chris Herring 2011

  • Just another example of the impotent sackless dem leadership that lets this a$$hat have any chairmanship or caucus with them.

    Think Progress » Lieberman: ‘It’s Possible’ I Could Be ‘A Good Old-Fashioned New England Moderate Republican’ 2010

Comments

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  • (adj., Yorkshire dial.) - foolish, ineffectual, simple, stupid. From ON saklauss "innocent", "not guilty".

    August 6, 2009