faint-hearted


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.

faint-heart·ed

(fānt′här′tĭd)
adj.
Deficient in conviction or courage; timid.

faint′-heart′ed·ly adv.
faint′-heart′ed·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

faint-hearted

or

fainthearted

n
1. the faint-hearted people of a nervous disposition
2. not for the faint-hearted extreme or very unusual, and unsuitable for people who like only safe and familiar things
adj
lacking in courage
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.faint-hearted - lacking conviction or boldness or courage; "faint heart ne'er won fair lady"
cowardly, fearful - lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted; "cowardly dogs, ye will not aid me then"- P.B.Shelley
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

faint-hearted

adjective timid, weak, cowardly, diffident, spineless, boneless, timorous, irresolute, half-arsed (Brit. slang), chickenshit (U.S. slang), half-assed (U.S. & Canad. slang), half-hearted, yellow The voters may be ready to punish the politicians who devised a faint-hearted solidarity pact.
brave, daring, bold, courageous, fearless, audacious, intrepid, plucky, dauntless, stouthearted, game (informal)
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

faint-hearted

adjective
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

faint-hearted

adjzaghaft; it’s not for the faint-heartedes ist nichts für ängstliche Gemüter or für Angsthasen (inf)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

faint-hearted

[ˌfeɪntˈhaːtɪd]
1. adjpusillanime
2. npl the faint-heartedtipi impressionabili
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
To those believers shall he who is of my type among men not bind his heart; in those spring-times and many-hued meadows shall he not believe, who knoweth the fickly faint-hearted human species!
Thou knowest it well: the faint-hearted devil in thee, which would fain fold its arms, and place its hands in its bosom, and take it easier:--this faint-hearted devil persuadeth thee that "there IS a God!"
Of course it was at a sacrifice, but it would ease the strain on all of them and bolster up the faint-hearted. That was the trouble--the faint-hearts.
And the head popped back again; and we heard no more, for the time, of these six very faint-hearted seamen.
You bid me, darling, not be faint-hearted. Indeed, there is no need for me to be so.
I suspected then that she'd begun to get faint-hearted, waiting; though she'd never let me see it.
Crupp, of late the bold, became within a few days so faint-hearted, that rather than encounter my aunt upon the staircase, she would endeavour to hide her portly form behind doors - leaving visible, however, a wide margin of flannel petticoat - or would shrink into dark corners.
``If thou refusest my fair proffer,'' said the Prince, ``the Provost of the lists shall cut thy bowstring, break thy bow and arrows, and expel thee from the presence as a faint-hearted craven.''
"O dastard coward!" Stutely cried, "Faint-hearted peasant slave!
This was the last resting-place of a good man, a warm-hearted, unselfish man; a man whose whole life was given to succoring the poor, encouraging the faint-hearted, visiting the sick; in relieving distress, whenever and wherever he found it.
"You will learn soon how not to be faint-hearted. A man has got to learn everything--and that's what so many of them youngsters don't understand."
APP Gardenia Free, IOS/Android But be prepared to break a sweat - this one's not for the faint-hearted.