Home US English milksop

Definition of milksop in English:

milksop

See synonyms for milksop

Translate milksop into Spanish

noun

informal

  • A person who is indecisive and lacks courage.

    • ‘you could have respect for a man who fought for you, but none for this milksop, who backed away’
    • ‘Since there are few lawyers without sin it will be more and more difficult, as a result of congressional hearings, to appoint anyone but a moronic milksop.’
    • ‘Any chance they have to portray a male opponent as a milksop, they do it.’
    • ‘You let your milksop of a brother handle the interrogation?’
    • ‘You are a milksop; your heart is full of guilt for this.’
    • ‘He didn't want to be such a milksop, but he hoped it wouldn't happen again.’
    coward, weakling, namby-pamby
    View synonyms

Pronunciation

milksop

/ˈmilkˌsäp/ /ˈmɪlkˌsɑp/

Origin

Late Middle English from milk + sop. The literal meaning was ‘piece of bread soaked with milk’, as formerly eaten by children and invalids.