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Glite Dictionary
milksop attitude

milksop attitude

9.6
A weak, shy way of acting that avoids strong action
  • noun
  • Offensive
: actitud blandengue
  • The manager criticized Jane's milksop attitude and encouraged her to be more decisive.

Examples

  • His milksop attitude made it difficult for him to lead the team.

  • A milksop attitude in negotiations rarely leads to favorable outcomes.

  • His milksop attitude frustrated his more assertive friends.

  • She displayed a milksop attitude during the negotiation.

  • A milksop attitude in negotiations rarely leads to favorable outcomes.

  • His milksop attitude frustrated his more assertive friends.

  • The manager criticized Jane's milksop attitude and encouraged her to be more decisive.

Synonyms

milquetoast attitude
vsmilksop attitude
  • Informal
9.9

A very timid way of behaving that avoids risk and conflict

is milder, describing weak or ineffectual behavior rather than extreme timidity

Antonyms

boldness
18 3.2

Willingness to take risks and face danger

decisiveness
5 3.2

The ability to choose quickly and confidently

How Assertive

milksop attitude
  • Offensive
9.6
passiveness
1 5.6
timidness
1 4.9

Surface Forms

milksop attitude singular
milksop attitudes plural

Morphology

milksop + attitude

The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'milksop' denotes a weak or cowardly person and 'attitude' denotes a habitual way of thinking or behaving, so together they straightforwardly mean a weak or timid approach. This follows a regular noun+noun composition pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words can interpret without special idiomatic knowledge.

Etymology

The phrase milksop attitude comes from an old image: a milksop was a piece of bread soaked in milk, very soft and easy to squash. People compared this soft food to a person who was timid and without courage, so the phrase means 'a weak, timid way of behaving'.