Synonyms

lily-livered

American

[lil-ee-liv-erd] / ˈlɪl iˈlɪv ərd /

adjective

weak or lacking in courage; cowardly; pusillanimous.

lily-livered British

adjective

cowardly; timid

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lily-livered

First recorded in 1595–1605; lily + liver ¹ + -ed ³

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

lily-livered

Of course, Paxton isn't just a standout when it comes to being lily-livered.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2022

And I haven’t even mentioned Michael Russotto, who plays a lily-livered, easily seduced investor who has eyes only for his payout.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2019

The lily-livered had best stay at home, because an evening with Lydia Lunch isn’t a performance; it’s an exorcism.

From New York Times ● Sep. 15, 2016

Naturally, Joseph Fuqua’s amusingly lily-livered marshal is of no help in the impending showdown between Valance and Foster.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2016

“The fire-eater's in love with Resa, I said, he’d devour her with his eyes if he could, but the others wouldn't believe me. All the same—to think of a lily-livered coward like you venturing here!”

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023