milksop

milksop
milksop (n.) "effeminate spiritless man," late 14c., attested as a (fictional) surname mid-13c.; also applied in Middle English to the infant Christ. Literal sense "piece of bread soaked in milk" attested late 15c.; see MILK (Cf. milk) (n.) + SOP (Cf. sop) (n.).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Milksop — Milk sop , n. A piece of bread sopped in milk; figuratively, an effeminate or weak minded person. Shak. [1913 Webster] To wed a milksop or a coward ape. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • milksop — [n] coward baby*, caitiff, chicken*, chicken heart*, chicken liver*, cry baby, deserter, fraidy cat*, jellyfish*, lily liver, momma’s boy*, namby pamby, pansy, pantywaist, quitter, scaredy cat*, sissy*, weakling, wimp, wuss*, wussy*, yellow,… …   New thesaurus

  • milksop — ► NOUN ▪ a timid and indecisive person …   English terms dictionary

  • milksop — [milk′säp΄] n. a man seen as timid, ineffectual, effeminate, etc …   English World dictionary

  • Milksop — Wikipedia does not have an encyclopedia article for Milksop (search results). You may want to read Wiktionary s entry on milksop instead.wiktionary:Special:Search/milksop …   Wikipedia

  • milksop — UK [ˈmɪlkˌsɒp] / US [ˈmɪlkˌsɑp] noun [countable] Word forms milksop : singular milksop plural milksops old fashioned an insulting word for a boy or man who is not brave …   English dictionary

  • Milksop — Recorded in many forms including Melsop, Mellsop, Milsap, Millsap, Millsop, Milsop, Milksop, Milksopp and Milkesoppe, this is a medieval English surname. It would seem to have been either a rather cruel nickname for a male person who was… …   Surnames reference

  • milksop — milk|sop [ˈmılksɔp US sa:p] n old fashioned [Date: 1300 1400; Origin: milksop bread softened in milk (14 15 centuries)] a boy or man who is too gentle and weak, and who is afraid to do anything difficult or dangerous …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • milksop — /ˈmɪlksɒp / (say milksop) noun 1. a dish of bread, etc., soaked in milk, as given to children and invalids. 2. an effeminate man or youth. –milksopism, noun …  

  • Milksop —    Recorded since the thirteenth century as a term of abuse for a man lacking courage, and still to be heard in school playgrounds, according to the Opies in The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren. The original reference was probably to bread… …   A dictionary of epithets and terms of address

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