Definition of: "faint of heart" with explanation and origin
Definition of: faint of heart with explanation and origin? Meaning of faint of heart with examples in English idiom dictionary.
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Definition of: "faint of heart" with explanation and origin
faint of heart
faint of heart,
also faint-hearted
Meaning
- to not be strong enough to handle a situation.
- to be weak.
- shortage the bravery to face something complicated or unsafe.
- lack the courage to tackle a tough or dangerous situation.
Example in Sentences
- This movie is not for those who are faint of heart. You better go to bed right now.
- I am not among the faint of heart. I can bear this news just as much as anyone else.
- Nobody knew that such a strong man would be faint-hearted. It broke me to see him cry at his wife’s funeral.
- Nobody can remain faint of heart throughout their lives. You will have to toughen up too.
- Can you believe that he is so faint of heart that he would jump if he saw even a domestic animal at his home?
- Are you faint-hearted? If not, then proceed, else I would caution you to not take this ride at the funfair.
- You cannot still think that I am faint of heart after I went through the horror maze all by myself!
- I saw a horror movie at night last week and fell faint of heart.
Origin
The phrase originates from the medical world, where someone who is faint of heart is required to not be put through anything stressful. Consequently, people who were not able to handle stress were referred to as faint of heart.
One of our users, Angela White, suggests that the phrase “faint-hearted” dates from around 1400 and means cowardly, timorous, growing weak or unable to rise to the occasion. Faint derives from the Old French “faint” or “feint”, which meant “false, deceitful, weak, or cowardly” from the past participle of “feindre.” In the Adages of Erasmus (c.1545) comes the phrase “faint heart never won fair maiden.”
The Origins of faint of heart
Bravery, Fear, HeartEnglish
Related Dictionary
- English Definition & Meaning Dictionary
- English Idioms and phrases Dictionary
- Dictionnaire Français
- Dictionnaire d'expressions idiomatiques et de phrases en français
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English Idioms and phrases
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below). By another definition, an idiom is a speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements.[3] For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context.
To evoke the desired effect in the listener, idioms require a precise replication of the phrase: not even articles can be used interchangeably (e.g. "kick a bucket" only retains the literal meaning of the phrase but not the idiomatic meaning).
Idioms should not be confused with other figures of speech such as metaphors, which evoke an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel"); similes, which evoke an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); or hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., "more powerful than a locomotive"). Idioms are also not to be confused with proverbs, which are simple sayings that express a truth based on common sense or practical experience.
