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Perfect Stranger Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
Vocab question no. 36 (be warned! colloquial English) - wuss
Good day to you all!
I realize that some of you might consider this word slightly offensive but since it's become part of everyday language I'd like to ask some questions about it. And indeed the first one is:
1) Do you consider wuss to be
a) very offensive b) mildly offensive c) not offensive at all ?
I'm looking for a word that can describe a person who always (to the point of irritating and annoying others) changes his mind or is so... hmm... fussy that even a small thing can discourage him/her from doing something. Let me give you an example: Let's say someone has cut his finger. The cut is tiny tiny but he/she makes a huge problem out of it, as if the world was going to end, as if doomsday was to come, instead of simply disinfecting the wound and putting a band aid on it.
I've found these words online but I'm not sure if they express what I wanna say:
pansy
wuss
wimp
Thank you!
I realize that some of you might consider this word slightly offensive but since it's become part of everyday language I'd like to ask some questions about it. And indeed the first one is:
1) Do you consider wuss to be
a) very offensive b) mildly offensive c) not offensive at all ?
I'm looking for a word that can describe a person who always (to the point of irritating and annoying others) changes his mind or is so... hmm... fussy that even a small thing can discourage him/her from doing something. Let me give you an example: Let's say someone has cut his finger. The cut is tiny tiny but he/she makes a huge problem out of it, as if the world was going to end, as if doomsday was to come, instead of simply disinfecting the wound and putting a band aid on it.
I've found these words online but I'm not sure if they express what I wanna say:
pansy
wuss
wimp
Thank you!
Top answer
1. Calling someone a wuss is slightly offensive, but it isn't really a swear word. Your example seems to be that of a "drama queen".
- 1.
- Calling someone a wuss is slightly offensive, but it isn't really a swear word.
- Your example seems to be that of a "drama queen".
- Pansy, wuss, and wimp all usually describe someone that backs down from confrontations, and is generally fearful.
- Someone (usually male) that is afraid of a garden spider could be described by those terms.
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8 Answers
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1. Calling someone a wuss is slightly offensive, but it isn't really a swear word.
Your example seems to be that of a "drama queen". Pansy, wuss, and wimp all usually describe someone that backs down from confrontations, and is generally fearful. Someone (usually male) that is afraid of a garden spider could be described by those terms.
Your example seems to be that of a "drama queen". Pansy, wuss, and wimp all usually describe someone that backs down from confrontations, and is generally fearful. Someone (usually male) that is afraid of a garden spider could be described by those terms.
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Thanks Vorpar for a clear-cut answer!
May I have some follow-up questions?
1) Are there any other words similar in meaning to drama queen?
2) The way I understand it is that you wouldn't call a guy a wimp if he was making a big fuss out of a small thing, would you?
3) Would it be correct to assume that someone who is a wimp cannot
May I have some follow-up questions?
1) Are there any other words similar in meaning to drama queen?
2) The way I understand it is that you wouldn't call a guy a wimp if he was making a big fuss out of a small thing, would you?
3) Would it be correct to assume that someone who is a wimp cannot
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I'm sorry, I didn't notice you have already said a few words about a pansy.
Still, are any of these words out-of-date?
Still, are any of these words out-of-date?
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1. I can't think of anything else appropriate.
2. I'd call that person a whiner.
3. A wimp is generally someone that isn't good at fighting (sometimes physical activity) In movies, you might see a football coach calling the players wimps for not doing enough exercise, or not playing hard enough. Your example, again, is more of a whiner or a complainer.
Pansy is a bit outdated.
2. I'd call that person a whiner.
3. A wimp is generally someone that isn't good at fighting (sometimes physical activity) In movies, you might see a football coach calling the players wimps for not doing enough exercise, or not playing hard enough. Your example, again, is more of a whiner or a complainer.
Pansy is a bit outdated.
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Just one more thing has come to my mind. Do we say:
He's a drama queen!
or
He's the drama queen!
He's a drama queen!
or
He's the drama queen!
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Here's what thesaurus.com gives me when I look up the word wuss. Would you say the following words can be used interchangeably? I'm sorry for throwing so many words at you at once...
wuss
whiner
crybaby
wimp
complainer
faultfinder
softy
sissy
moaner
bellyacher
griper
quitter
weakling
deserter
jellyfish
namby-
wuss
whiner
crybaby
wimp
complainer
faultfinder
softy
sissy
moaner
bellyacher
griper
quitter
weakling
deserter
jellyfish
namby-
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Sorry for being a pain in the... neck but I'd be very grateful if you guys could have a look at that somewhat longish list of words and enlighten me on some of those words. I think some of them might be outdated or cannot function as synonyms to wuss.
How come English offers so many synonyms...
How come English offers so many synonyms...
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