Wallflower

//ˈwɔlˌflaʊ.ɚ// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any of several short-lived herbs or shrubs of the Erysimum genus with bright yellow to red flowers.

    "A polypetalous corolla is either cruciform, as in a wall-flower, rosaceous, papilionaceous, as in the pea kind, or incomplete, when some parts found in analogous flowers are wanting."

  2. 2
    remains on sidelines at social event wordnet
  3. 3
    Gastrolobium grandiflorum, a poisonous bushy shrub, endemic to Australia.
  4. 4
    perennial of southern Europe having clusters of fragrant flowers of all colors especially yellow and orange; often naturalized on old walls or cliffs; sometimes placed in genus Erysimum wordnet
  5. 5
    A person who does not dance at a party, due to shyness or unpopularity; by extension, anyone who is left on the sidelines while an activity takes place.

    "Mrs. Galbraith shook all over with laughter as she replied, "Hear that boy, asking me to dance ! I'm content to be a wallflower, now-a-days.""

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    any of numerous plants of the genus Erysimum having fragrant yellow or orange or brownish flowers wordnet
  2. 7
    Any person who is socially awkward, shy, or reserved. informal

    "I've always been a wallflower, even in my own home. But, I'm willing to learn to be a part of your world. I would like to. I have already told my parents that I want to go to soirées."

Verb
  1. 1
    To stand shyly apart from a dance, waiting to be asked to join in. intransitive

    "[…] the idea that a full tango experience is impossible without the presence of wallflowers and without the threat of wallflowering as the potential dancers enter the tango club."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From wall + flower.

Etymology 2

From wall + flower.

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