Milquetoast

//ˈmɪlktəʊst// adj, noun, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Meek, timid; lacking character or effectiveness. derogatory, informal

    "The truth is that we are cursed with a "milquetoast" Government operating under "milquetoast" policies. Fear has become a national policy."

  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of milquetoast. alt-of

    "If Bach had any guts, he wouldn't take that. He's too much of a Milquetoast guy."

Noun
  1. 1
    A person of meek or timid disposition; a person who lacks character or effectiveness. derogatory, informal

    "We know that theology must be common to all believers, but again we also know that some enjoy only milquetoast (german milchspeise), while others can eat solid food, and that one and the same truth is apprehended in different ways, for it is not possible to accommodate all these ways to the grasp of all, while not depriving them of the truth itself."

  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of milquetoast. alt-of

    "The Milquetoasts of this world seldom wake up in time to get tough effectively, Mr. [Harold Tucker] Webster fears. [...] Webster considers him a worthy citizen—of the kind that had better begin to show a little more spunk before it is too late."

  3. 3
    a timid man or boy considered childish or unassertive wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

Named after Caspar Milquetoast, a character from the comic strip The Timid Soul, created by American cartoonist Harold Tucker Webster (1885–1952) and first published in 1924; the character was named after the American dish milk toast (“a food consisting of toasted bread in warm milk”).

Etymology 2

Named after Caspar Milquetoast, a character from the comic strip The Timid Soul, created by American cartoonist Harold Tucker Webster (1885–1952) and first published in 1924; the character was named after the American dish milk toast (“a food consisting of toasted bread in warm milk”).

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