- wishy-washy
- wishy-washy 1690s, "feeble or poor in quality," reduplication of washy "thin, watery" (see WASH (Cf. wash)). Meaning "vacillating" first recorded 1873.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
wishy-washy
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Wishy-washy — Wish y wash y, a. [See {Wash}.] Thin and pale; weak; without strength or substance; originally said of liquids. Fig., weak minded; spiritless. [1913 Webster] A weak wishy washy man who had hardly any mind of his own. A. Trollope. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
wishy-washy — [wish′ē wôsh΄ē] adj. [redupl. of WASHY] Informal 1. watery; insipid; thin 2. a) weak; feeble b) vacillating; indecisive wishy washily adv … English World dictionary
Wishy-washy — Wish y wash y, n. A weak or thin drink or liquor; wish wash. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
wishy-washy — *insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, inane Analogous words: spiritless, enervated, *languid, listless: *weak, feeble: diluted, attenuated, thinned (see THIN vb) Contrasted words: *spirited, high spirited, mettlesome, spunky, fiery, peppery,… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
wishy-washy — [adj] bland, dull banal, characterless, cowardly, enervated, feeble, flat, flavorless, indecisive, ineffective, ineffectual, insipid, irresolute, jejune, languid, listless, mediocre, namby pamby*, sapless, spiritless, tasteless, thin, vacillating … New thesaurus
wishy-washy — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (of a drink or soup) weak or thin. 2) feeble or insipid … English terms dictionary
wishy-washy — wish|y wash|y [ˈwıʃi ˌwɔʃi US ˌwo:ʃi, ˌwa:ʃi] adj informal [Date: 1600 1700; Origin: washy thin, watery (16 20 centuries), from wash] 1.) someone who is wishy washy does not have firm or clear ideas and seems unable to decide what they want used… … Dictionary of contemporary English
wishy-washy — adjective Etymology: reduplication of washy Date: 1703 1. lacking in character or determination ; ineffectual < wishy washy leadership > 2. lacking in strength or flavor ; weak < wishy washy wines > • wishy washiness … New Collegiate Dictionary
wishy-washy — adjective informal 1 a wishy washy person does not have firm or clear ideas and seems unable to decide what they want: a bunch of wishy washy liberals 2 colours that are wishy washy are pale, not strong or dark … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
wishy-washy — adjective 1) he s so wishy washy Syn: feeble, ineffectual, weak, vapid, effete, gutless, spineless, limp, namby pamby, spiritless, indecisive, characterless; pathetic Ant: strong … Thesaurus of popular words
