damsel in distress
noun/ˈdæm.zəl ɪn dɪˈstɹɛs/
Etymology
Calque of French demoiselle en détresse, from the classic theme in many dramatic forms.
- calqued from demoiselle en détresse
Definitions
A young woman perceived as being helpless in a dangerous situation and requiring rescue.
- I am not a pretty girl / That is not what I do / I ain't no damsel in distress / And I don't need to be rescued
- The damsel-in-distress archetype probably conjures up images of delicate maidens and chivalrous gentlemen. That is precisely what it is designed to do — for white people.
The neighborhood
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for damsel in distress. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA