big girl's blouse
1
9.9
- noun
- Offensive
:
blandengue
- I can't believe you cried during the movie; you're such a big girl's blouse.
Examples
-
He acted like a big girl's blouse when faced with the challenge.
-
And don't think acting like a big girl's blouse will get you out of it.
-
Don't be such a big girl's blouse; stand up for yourself.
Synonyms
10
9.3
A person who is too afraid to try things
4
9.9
A man or boy who seems weak and afraid to act
1
8.9
Feeling weaker or less manly than other men
1
9.9
An insulting word for someone who is weak or too afraid to act
Antonyms
How Brave
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal constituents 'big', 'girl's', and 'blouse' describe a large women's garment and do not transparently convey the sense 'weak or cowardly.' This is an informal, regionally British pejorative metaphorical expression whose meaning is idiomatic and would generally require prior exposure, so a B1 learner knowing the words would not reliably infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Big girl's blouse may come from the picture of a grown man wearing a soft girl's shirt: the words big, girl's, and blouse make him seem like a child and not strong. That's why people use it to call someone 'weak' or 'cowardly'.