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

Does the final in the Twilight series or the latest adaptation of the Tolstoy classic handle the damsel-in-distress theme better?

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, the damsel-in-distress paradigm is key in many pedal-pumping vids.

From The Daily Beast

This ain't any damsel-in-distress business, like Skinny is going to do.

From Project Gutenberg