don't be a siss
- idiom
- Slur
:
no seas cobarde
- He told his friend, "don't be a siss, just ask her to dance!"
Examples
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When the team hesitated before the match, the coach shouted, "don't be a siss!"
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Come on, don't be a siss, it's only a rollercoaster!
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Please don't be a siss and try the roller coaster!
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I know it's scary, but don't be a siss!
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Come on, don't be a siss, it's only a rollercoaster!
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He told his friend, "don't be a siss, just ask her to dance!"
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When the team hesitated before the match, the coach shouted, "don't be a siss!"
Synonyms
42
6.2
Decide not to do something difficult or risky because you are afraid
8
9.9
To be too afraid to do something
How Brave
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning ('do not be a coward') is directly derivable from the parts: 'don't' (negation) + 'be' (copular verb) + 'a' + 'siss' (a derogatory noun for a timid/cowardly person). This is a straightforward, compositional admonition in informal register, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the meaning (noting the phrase is informal and offensive).
Etymology
Don't be a siss comes from the word sissy, or the short form siss, which was a rude name for someone thought to act like a 'sister', gentle or timid. So when people say don't be a siss, they mean 'don't be afraid' or 'be brave'.