mollycoddle

WOTD - 5 February 2009    

English

Etymology

From molly + coddle.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈmɒl.ɪˌkɒd.əl/, SAMPA: /"mQl.I%kQd.@l/
• (US) IPA: /ˈmɑl.iˌkɑd.əl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒdəl

Noun

mollycoddle (plural mollycoddles)

1. (now rare) A person, especially a man or a boy, who is pampered and overprotected.
   • 2004: Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage

     No matter what pacifist "flubdubs and flapdoodle mollycoddles" might say, the President [Teddy Roosevelt] knew that if there were a general war then America could well be drawn into it.

Translations

person who is pampered and overprotected

Czech: mazánek (cs) m.

Greek: παραχαϊδεμένος (el) m.

Verb

mollycoddle (third-person singular simple present mollycoddles, present participle mollycoddling, simple past and past participle mollycoddled)

1. (transitive) To be overprotective and indulgent toward; to pamper.

Translations

to be overprotective and indulgent toward

Czech: rozmazlovat (cs) French: couver (fr)

Greek: παραχαϊδεύω (el), κανακεύω (el) Polish: rozpieścić (pl), rozpieszczać (pl)