milquetoast

milquetoast
/milk"tohst'/, n. (sometimes cap.)
a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, esp. one who is easily dominated or intimidated: a milquetoast who's afraid to ask for a raise. Also called Caspar Milquetoast.
[1935-40, Amer.; after Caspar Milquetoast, a character in The Timid Soul, comic strip by H. T. Webster (1885-1952), American cartoonist]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Milquetoast — n. [From Caspar Milquetoast, a character in a cartoon strip by H. T. Webster, The Timid Soul (1935).] a timid, unassertive man or boy fearful of confrontation and easily manipulated and dominated. Syn: sissy, pantywaist, pansy, milksop. [WordNet… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • milquetoast — (n.) timid, meek person, 1938, from Caspar Milquetoast, character created by U.S. newspaper cartoonist H.T. Webster (1885 1952) in the strip The Timid Soul, which ran from 1924 in the New York World and later the Herald Tribune. By 1930 the name… …   Etymology dictionary

  • milquetoast — ☆ milquetoast [milk′tōst΄ ] n. [after Caspar Milquetoast, character of this sort in a comic strip by H. T. Webster (1885 1952), U.S. cartoonist (< milk toast, toast in warm milk)] a timid, shrinking, apologetic person …   English World dictionary

  • Milquetoast — A milquetoast is a weak, ineffectual or bland person. The word is derived from the character Caspar Milquetoast from the 1924 comic strip The Timid Soul. Milquetoast may also refer to: Milquetoast the Cockroach, a character in the comic strips… …   Wikipedia

  • milquetoast — [“milktost] n. a shy coward; an effeminate male. (See also Caspar Milquetoast.) □ This little milquetoast goes up to the biker, looks at him sort of sad like, and then karate chops him into a quivering pulp. □ Some guy who looked like a… …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • milquetoast — n American an un macho, meek man; a wimp. Rem iniscent of the food given to invalids, mil quetoast derives from the name of the fictional character Caspar Milquetoast, created by the American cartoonist H. T. Webster. Zsa Zsa Gabor used the term …   Contemporary slang

  • milquetoast — noun Etymology: Caspar Milquetoast, comic strip character created by H. T. Webster died 1952 American cartoonist Date: 1935 a timid, meek, or unassertive person …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • milquetoast —  not milk , for a timid person. The name comes from an old newspaper cartoon called The Timid Soul featuring a character named Caspar (not er) Milquetoast …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • milquetoast —    not milk , for a timid person. The name comes from an old newspaper cartoon called The Timid Soul featuring a character named Caspar (not er) Milquetoast …   Dictionary of troublesome word

  • Milquetoast — [ mɪlktəʊst] noun chiefly N. Amer. a person who is timid or submissive. Origin 1930s: from the name of a cartoon character, Caspar Milquetoast, created by H. T. Webster in 1924 …   English new terms dictionary

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