damsel in distress

[dam-zuhl in di-stres]

noun

1. a person, usually a young woman, who needs to be rescued from danger or trouble of some kind.

   This plumber is worth his weight in gold, and I would like to thank him for going out of his way to help this damsel in distress.

2. Sometimes Damsel in Distress a trope or narrative device in movies, books, games, etc., portraying a female character as a victim in need of rescue.

   It has an exotic locale, the classic battle of man against nature, and, of course, a damsel in distress.

Word History and Origins

Origin of damsel in distress¹

First recorded in 1690–1700

Example Sentences

Tough where her husband is soft, jaded where he is open-minded, Zoë initially thinks Sarah‘s case is a waste of time — she wants Joe to focus on collecting all the fees he has let slide instead of haring off to aid another “damsel in distress.”

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A little over a decade ago, actresses in these kind of movies were handcuffed to the role of the damsel in distress.

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See recent attempts by Disney to broaden the scope of its Marvel and Star Wars franchises, or Nintendo this month transforming its popular damsel in distress Princess Zelda into a hero.

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“Taylor often played the part of a damsel in distress or an overlooked romantic interest using theatrical costuming,” writes Sarah Chapelle in “Taylor Swift Style” — out Oct.

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Her performance adds an additional layer of mystery in that it is never quite clear whether she is a manipulative femme fatale, a damsel in distress or a woman just trying to figure herself out.

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