wuss
/wʊs
/informal
noun
A weak or ineffectual person (often used as a general term of abuse): we are not just a group of shallow wusses what a snivelling wuss!...
- Only wimps and wusses blamed their misfortune on others - real men made their own fortune.
- Boys who don't conform are ridiculed, called wimps and wusses.
- Call me a wimp and a wuss if you want to, but I could picture him in my head, and I couldn't talk to him.
verb [no object] (wuss out)
Fail to do or complete something as a result of fear or lack of confidence: she’ll probably wuss out because she fears my mighty bowling prowess...
- The Canucks better not wuss out against Boston this coming December like they did in the finals.
- Don't wait until the pain is excruciating, but don't wuss out and tap before the arm is straight or the choke is actually choking either.
- At least he showed some heart in the minutes he played and didn't totally wuss out.
Derivatives
wussy
- He may look imposing here, but he's actually quite wussy.
- You'll run the risk of looking and feeling weak and wussy.
- As things stand, the voters seem to regard the concept as outmoded, a bit wussy, and definitely non-core.
Origin
1970s: of unknown origin.