to be a wuss
8
9.9
- idiom
- Offensive
:
ser un cobarde
- Don't be a wuss all your life.
- think I'm a wuss
- be a wuss, man
If they were told you know, don't be a wuss, don't be a wimp?
- If they were told you know, don't be a wuss, don't be a wimp?
Examples
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I am a wuss.
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Don't be a wuss, you know you want her.
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Stop being a wuss and just kiss me.
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What would help this guy would be to stop being a wuss and to get over his sexual shame.
Blog text (17) -
Yeah, I know I'm being a wuss again.
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Don't be a wuss.
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Don't be a wuss!
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Benny's just hoping he doesn't cry during the movie, because he's a wuss.
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As far as source material goes, I get letters and notes all the time that I'd love to respond to in the snarkiest manner possible, but I don't because I'm a wuss.
Blog text (9) -
Stop being a wuss and face your fears at the party.
Synonyms
42
6.2
Decide not to do something difficult or risky because you are afraid
14
7.8
To avoid a difficult thing because you feel afraid
9
9.9
To back out of something because you feel afraid
6
8.6
To avoid doing something because you are afraid
To avoid doing something because you do not want to try it
To act nervously and foolishly when you feel afraid or unsure
Antonyms
How Brave
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is built from the copula 'be' + article + the noun 'wuss' (a person lacking courage), so its meaning 'to act like a coward / be timid' follows directly from the constituents. The syntactic pattern 'be a X' is a basic, cross-linguistically common way to ascribe an identity or role, making this immediately understandable to learners who know the words.
Etymology
Be a wuss uses wuss, a slang word for someone weak or easily scared; picture a person stepping back and hiding instead of trying something. That's why it means 'to act cowardly or overly timid'.