yellow streak

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a trait of cowardice in a person's character.

---

yellow streak British  

noun

1. informal a cowardly or weak trait, characteristic, or flaw in a person's nature

---

Etymology

Origin of yellow streak

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

A yellow streak seems to indicate a faster, more aggressive hit, and a pink streak means “you’ll be damn lucky to hit this.”

From The Verge • Apr. 27, 2022

Another Jones signature is to paint a red or yellow streak on one side of the canvas or its top, perpendicular to the wall, so that when the light hits, a diffuse glow forms.

From New York Times • Feb. 10, 2022

“It has a yellow color because there’s a yellow streak in the middle, somewhere between daffodil and lemon yellow,” she said.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2013

And in a world drowning a little more each day in apathy, I choose to occasionally call out the cowards, if only to briefly shine a big, bright light on their little yellow streak.

From Salon • Jan. 19, 2013

He's shown some courage, that fellow, in the past, but I always thought he had a yellow streak in him somewhere.

From Hidden Gold by Anthony, Wilder