pudding-heart

A child is called a pudding-heart for being afraid of the dark.

Definition

Noun: A cowardly or timid person; someone lacking courage or resolve.

Usage Examples

• (He was labelled a coward for not defending his own position.)
• (The general considered the soldier a coward for running away.)

Advanced Usage

• "to show a pudding-heart": to demonstrate cowardice or fear.

  • When the challenge arose, she showed a pudding-heart and backed down. (She revealed her timidity and withdrew from the confrontation.)

• "pudding-heart behaviour": actions characteristic of a coward.

  • His pudding-heart behaviour disappointed his friends, who expected him to be brave. (His cowardly actions let down his companions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pudding-hearted (adj): having a timid or cowardly nature.
  • The pudding-hearted knight refused to face the dragon. (The cowardly knight avoided the challenge.)

Synonyms

• Coward: a person who lacks courage in facing danger or difficulty.
• Milksop: a timid or feeble person.
• Poltroon: a person with no courage; a coward.

Related Idioms

• "To have a yellow streak": to be cowardly or easily frightened.

  • He has a yellow streak a mile wide, just like a pudding-heart. (He is extremely cowardly.)

• "To chicken out": to decide not to do something because of fear.

  • She chickened out of the race, acting like a pudding-heart. (She withdrew from the race due to fear.)