chicken-livered
Definition
Adjective: - Cowardly; timid: "chicken-livered" describes a person who lacks courage or is easily frightened, often used informally to criticize someone's lack of bravery.
Usage Examples
- (He was too cowardly to face the bully directly.)
- (Don't be so timid; have the courage to invite her on a date.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be chicken-livered about something": to be afraid or hesitant to do something.
- She is chicken-livered about speaking in public. (She is very afraid of giving speeches.)
Variants and Related Words
Chicken (noun, informal): a cowardly person.
- He's a chicken when it comes to heights. (He is very afraid of heights.)
Lily-livered (adj, synonym): cowardly; lacking courage.
- The lily-livered soldier ran from battle. (The cowardly soldier fled the fight.)
Synonyms
- Cowardly: lacking bravery.
- Timid: shy and easily frightened.
- Fainthearted: lacking courage or resolution.
Related Idioms
To have a yellow streak: to be cowardly.
- He has a yellow streak a mile wide; he never stands up for himself. (He is extremely cowardly.)
To chicken out: to decide not to do something because of fear.
- She was going to bungee jump, but she chickened out at the last moment. (She withdrew from the activity due to fear.)