| 释义 |
tenderfoot|ˈtɛndəfʊt|
Pl. -foots, -feet.
[f. tender foot: for sense 1, see quot. 18871.]
1. U.S. and Colonial.
a. A name given, originally in the ranching and mining regions of the western U.S., to a newly arrived immigrant, unused to the hardships of pioneer life; a greenhorn; hence, a raw, inexperienced person.
1881L. P. Brockett West. Empire i. vii. (1882) 72 (Funk) Slang expressions of this mining dialect... New-comers are ‘Tender-feet’. 1887L. Swinburne in Scribner's Mag. II. 508 ‘Pilgrim’ and ‘tenderfoot’ were formerly applied almost exclusively to newly imported cattle. 1887Q. Rev. July 49 British ‘tenderfeet’ were induced to invest a great deal of cattle in the business. 1891Pall Mall G. 4 Jan. 2/1 Wailings of inexperienced men and ‘tender foots’.
b. attrib. or as adj.
1888San Francisco Wkly. Bulletin (Farmer Dict. Amer.), The boys were of the tenderfoot kind. 1897Daily News 30 July 7/1 Most of the best claims have already been secured by tenderfoot prospectors. 1900O. Wister Virginian ii, In my tenderfoot innocence I was looking indoors for the washing arrangements.
2. In the Scout and Guide movements, a recruit who has passed the enrolment tests (the tenderfoot tests); also tenderfoot badge, and ellipt. = tenderfoot badge, tests.
1908R. S. S. Baden-Powell Scouting for Boys iii. 36 A Tenderfoot is a boy who is not yet a scout. 1911Boy Scout Tests (Boy Scouts Assoc.) 1 It should be noted that a tenderfoot may not wear the button-hole badge until he has passed the Tenderfoot Tests. 1918R. S. S. Baden-Powell Girl Guiding ii. i. 64 At first you rank as a Recruit until you pass your Tenderfoot tests. Then you can go on and rise to the following ranks:—Recruit. Tenderfoot. Second-Class Guide. 1920Girl Guide Badges (Girl Guide Assoc.) 6 No Guider or Guide is entitled to wear the Tenderfoot Badge unless she has been enrolled, and has passed the following tests. 1965G. McInnes Road to Gundagai x. 160 He..saw that loads were properly distributed..between..strong scouts and not so strong tenderfeet. 1982Times 19 Jan. 18/5 Mr Bass, who is 6ft. 3ins., resigned after passing his Tenderfoot because he did not like wearing short trousers. |